Tempe Council Unanimously Approves Ad Hoc Committee to Rename Parks, Streets, Schools Linked to KKK Members
TEMPE, ARIZONA — October 22, 2021

Tempe Council Unanimously Approves Ad Hoc Committee to Rename Parks, Streets, Schools Linked to KKK Members

Tempe City Council work session featuring fire station planning update and contentious public hearing on renaming streets, parks, and schools previously honored after documented KKK members, with community divided on evidence quality and appropriateness of renaming.

Tempe Council Approves Ad Hoc Committee Process for Renaming Streets, Parks, and Schools Linked to KKK Members Amid Deep Community Division

After a nearly six-hour public hearing featuring thirty speakers—many angry, some tearful—Tempe City Council voted unanimously on October 22, 2021, to move forward with establishing an ad hoc committee to oversee the renaming of city landmarks and schools previously honored after individuals documented as members of the 1920s Butte Klan #3. The decision came after Tempe's History Museum completed research identifying approximately 100 local businessmen and community leaders as KKK members during the 1920s, with five individuals directly tied to place names: Hugh Laird (West and East Laird Streets), Clyde Gililland (Gililland Middle School), Esper Hudson (Hudson Lane, Hudson Drive, Hudson Park, Hudson Elementary School), Harvey Harrellson (Harrellson Park), and Byron and Lowell Redden (Redden Park).

The evening revealed a city fractured along lines of historical reckoning versus historical preservation—and along generational lines as well. Descendants of the named individuals defended their ancestors' legacies and challenged the museum's documentary evidence as circumstantial. Residents who grew up on these streets argued renaming would erase their own family histories. Meanwhile, advocates for renaming, including students, educators, and civil-rights leaders, framed the measure as necessary for dismantling structural racism and honoring those harmed by white supremacy. Indigenous speakers, notably absent from the initial research process, demanded a seat at the table.

Key Speeches

"The KKK was and is a racist organization. Violence, yes, even in our region... The KKK were clear about their intentions and you have to remember, this was a secret society." — Councilmember Kuby, on the documented nature and intent of the Klan.

"I'm a lifelong Tempe resident... I couldn't imagine the dishonor on me or anybody to go to a school named after a racist, a white supremacist, somebody opposed to diversity, multiculturalism." — Liam Huggins, ASU student and Tempe resident, on the moral imperative to rename.

"The only thing on the piece of paper says he paid $10 in dues to a Klan treasurer. Nothing on the piece of paper says anything about the Klan... This seems like flimsy circumstantial evidence for a pioneer of Tempe." — Ted Harrellson, grandson of Harvey Harrellson, challenging the evidentiary basis for renaming Harrellson Park.

Timeline

Opposition

Number of speakers against: Approximately 12–15 speakers directly opposed, plus written comment cards from descendants and residents.

Main concerns:

  1. Evidentiary weakness: Multiple speakers argued the museum's documentation—particularly a single receipt showing Harvey Harrellson's $10 dues payment to a "Klan treasurer"—was circumstantial and insufficient to override decades of community respect and philanthropy. Ted Harrellson noted the receipt bore no explicit KKK reference and argued that three of the dues payers were also on a church donation list, suggesting benign or pluralistic affiliations.

  2. Character and legacy: Family members and long-term neighbors testified that Harvey Harrellson, Clyde Gililland, and Esper Hudson were philanthropists, civic-minded community builders, and kind individuals. Sherry Thompson (Harrellson family member) described Harvey as "one of the most unselfish individuals" and cited a note from former Governor Howard Pyle attesting to his character. Judy Bowers defended the Reddens as pioneers who donated labor and materials for school construction.

  3. Cost and burden: Multiple speakers raised the financial and logistical burden on residents and businesses—driver's licenses, passport changes, utility billing, credit cards—without offsetting benefit. One speaker asked whether all recipients of Harrellson family donations (scholarships, civic improvements) would be required to return funds or dismantle structures.

  4. Historical erasure: Residents living on named streets for decades described the names as home identity and family memory. Linda Crabrara, who grew up on Laird Street, stated: "Changing the name of Laird means changing my history" and dismissed the KKK connection as ancient and irrelevant to her family's lived experience.

  5. Knee-jerk political reaction: Several speakers invoked "cancel culture" and "woke" decision-making. One audience member (name unclear in transcript) compared the renaming to "mask mandates" as an overreach of government authority. Another disputed the judgment of "demagogues abusing power" without proper burden of proof or due process.

  6. Majority rule vs. minority punishment: One speaker (James T Cooke) argued that requiring 100% accord before implementing a decision favored a "vocal minority" over the wishes of those who had long honored these names without controversy.

  7. Redemption and change: Multiple speakers cited the example of Senator Robert Byrd, who left the KKK and became a civil-rights advocate, arguing that individuals should not be permanently defined by youthful affiliations.

Most compelling arguments:

Organized groups: No formal opposition organization was named in the transcript, though descendants appeared to have coordinated attendance.

Support

Number of speakers in favor: Approximately 12–15 speakers explicitly supporting renaming, plus written comment cards.

Main themes:

  1. Moral clarity on white supremacy: Multiple speakers emphasized that KKK membership, regardless of other contributions, is disqualifying. Liam Huggins stated: "I believe schools and parks and streets ought to bear the names of those who are honorable to allow the specter of white supremacist rear its name on respected institutions." Michelle Rose (NAACP) called renaming "a matter of public safety."

  2. Lived experience of racism: Emma Monez, an ASU education student, described growing up under street and school names later revealed to honor racists, creating cognitive dissonance and pain. A student speaker (name unclear) recounted childhood bullying by peers who told him "You don't belong here" because he spoke Spanish, and asked: "What other skeletons does the city have regarding race discrimination?"

  3. Historical accuracy and truth-telling: Drew Sullivan, a historian, contextualized the research within a 50-year trajectory of scholarship on Arizona's KKK history, including master's theses and primary sources from the McClintock Papers. He noted that 18 of 20 Arizona KKK members from a leaked 1922 Los Angeles roster were found reliable by a grand jury, lending credibility to the Tempe roster.

  4. Centering Indigenous voices: Multiple speakers (Marina Thomas, Jason Moore, Emma Monez) emphasized that Indigenous people, on whose stolen land Tempe was built, had been excluded from the initial naming discussions. Marina Thomas stated: "My blood is in this soil... and have been for thousands of years. We need to be acknowledged."

  5. Segregation and discrimination context: Several speakers cited Tempe's documented history as a "sun-down town" until the mid-1960s—African Americans were not permitted to own property or live in Tempe. Adolfo Romo's desegregation lawsuit in the 1950s (described by Councilmember Kuby) demonstrated that white leadership, including Hugh Laird as a defendant, actively enforced segregation.

  6. Removal of symbols as necessary, not erasure: Emma Monez: "This is not changing history but recognizing history. Keeping these names... perpetuate white supremacist violence."

  7. Systemic racism and accountability: Jason Moore and Liam Huggins argued that renaming is a first step in a much larger project of dismantling structural racism, addressing redlining, police violence, and economic inequity.

Most compelling arguments:

Project Details

Vote Breakdown

Outcome & Next Steps

The Tempe City Council unanimously directed city staff to proceed with the following:

  1. Establish an ad hoc renaming committee to oversee the process, appointed by the city manager in accordance with Tempe Resolution R2017 (the city's naming resolution).

  2. Expand committee membership to include representatives from Indigenous communities, the African American Advisory Committee, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, the Disability Advisory Commission, Tempe Elementary School District, and community organizations with interest in the renaming process.

  3. Create a dedicated website housing:

    • Summary of the museum's research and findings
    • Membership information from the Butte Klan #3 roster
    • A public feedback portal for name suggestions
    • Cost-assistance information for affected residents and businesses (driver's license, utility, credit card changes, etc.)
    • Coordination information with the school district

  4. Coordinate with Tempe Elementary School District on the renaming of Laird School, Hudson Elementary School, and Gililland Middle School. District Superintendent James Driscoll had been notified of the findings and expressed support for coordination.

  5. Include costs in FY 2022–23 budget. Specific cost identification and quantification would be presented to council at a future meeting as part of the budget process. Council expressed a commitment to compensating affected residents for the costs of changing addresses on official documents.

  6. Recommend street names focused on significant landmarks or Indigenous heritage rather than specific individuals, where possible—for example, names honoring significant tribal communities or geographic features.

Continuance: The ad hoc committee will report findings and recommendations to the city manager. The council will revisit the renaming recommendations after the committee completes its work. No specific deadline was set, though the timeline is expected to span months given the complexity and community engagement required.

Controversies & Context

Historical context:

Tempe was a "sun-down town" until the 1960s, explicitly discouraging African American residence. The first African American family was not permitted to buy property in Tempe until 1965. In the 1950s, Adolfo Romo (a Mexican American activist, referenced by Councilmember Kuby) filed a desegregation lawsuit against the Tempe Elementary School District after his children were assigned to the segregated 8th Street School, which lacked certified teachers. The case resulted in a partial victory—children were allowed to attend the 10th Street School—but the school board, with Hugh Laird as a defendant, fought the case. This was the first desegregation case in the United States after Plessy v. Ferguson.

Butte Klan #3 and the 1920s:

The KKK's "second wave" (1920s–1930s) was a massive national movement, reportedly creating a shortage of sheets in Indiana. It explicitly recruited middle-class businessmen and civic leaders in Arizona and nationally, framing membership as patriotic and moral. The Butte Klan #3 chapter in Tempe recruited nearly 100 members during the early-to-mid 1920s but collapsed by the end of that decade. The roster came to light via a leaked list discovered by Colonel William Leatherwood McClintock during a 1922 investigation into KKK violence in Arizona (including a beating of a Mormon principal in Mesa). The names were published in the Dunbar Weekly newspaper and subpoenaed in a grand jury proceeding, in which 18 of 20 Phoenix-area KKK members listed were found reliable.

Evidentiary quality:

The museum's documentation includes:

However, opponents correctly noted that the most direct evidence for some individuals (e.g., Harrellson) is a single document—in his case, a dues receipt. Councilmember Navarro explicitly requested "a second set of eyes" and further verification before finalizing decisions, citing the need for due diligence.

Exclusion of Indigenous voices:

Multiple Indigenous speakers and supporters noted that the initial research process did not include or center Indigenous communities, despite the fact that the land itself was taken from Indigenous peoples (likely O'odham and Apache descendants). The staff recommendation addressed this by proposing that Indigenous representatives be added to the ad hoc committee. However, Marina Thomas and others emphasized that this inclusion should not be tokenistic and that Indigenous voices must be "front and center," not peripheral.

Accusations and defenses:

Descendants of the named individuals did not dispute that their ancestors' names appeared on the rosters but argued that:

Supporters and historians countered that:

Fiscal pressures and competing priorities:

Several speakers (including Councilmember Navarro and audience members) raised concerns about municipal budget constraints, arguing that resources for renaming should be redirected to fire services, police, education, or street maintenance. One speaker referenced poor road conditions in Tempe and questioned why the city was spending money on renaming rather than infrastructure. Councilmember Kuby responded that the renaming effort, while costly, is a necessary expression of civic values and does not preclude other expenditures; the council has committed to including costs in the FY 2022–23 budget.

Duration

Other Notable Items

Item 2: Fire Station Location Study Update 2021

Consultant James Bachelor from UK-based ORH presented a 20-year planning update (to 2040) showing that Tempe's demand for fire and EMS services is projected to increase by 60% due to 30% population growth and rising call rates. The study recommends phased relocation of stations 3 and 4 to the west (along Baseline Road and West Elliott), addition of stations 9 and 10 to the east and northwest, and assumption of station 8's opening in the Innovation District. Without these changes, response times will deteriorate from current levels to over 7 minutes by 2040; with the phased approach, response times will improve to near-2015 levels. Council unanimously expressed support and pledged to prioritize fire/EMS funding in future budgets. Chief Greg Reece noted ongoing coordination with neighboring Guadalupe on automatic aid agreements.

Item 2C: Streetscape and Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP) Manual Update

The city presented a proposed update to the 2008 STEP Manual, renaming it the "Neighborhood Traffic Calming Guide." The key controversy centered on the three-tier petitioning threshold for neighborhood traffic-calming devices (speed bumps, diverters, etc.):

Staff sought council guidance on whether to modify the 100% threshold. Jennifer Adams expressed support for the update. Discussion was deferred for further council input; no vote was taken. This item will be revisited at a future meeting.

Fire Station Planning Context

Demand projections: The consultant's analysis projects 40,000+ annual incidents by 2040 (vs. ~25,000 currently), driven by both population growth and increased propensity to call 911 for assistance. The 85th percentile ALS response time has already increased from ~6.5 minutes (2017) to ~8.15 minutes (2019). The city's stated goal is 5–6 minutes per NFPA standards.

Interdepartmental impact: Councilmember Navarro emphasized the need to prioritize support staff and behind-the-scenes resources, not just front-line responders. Doreen Garlid noted that traffic density and building heights complicate response, even if stations are closer.

Station 7 case study: Multiple council members cited the addition of Station 7 (near downtown Tempe) as a success story. Doreen Garlid shared a personal account of rapid response when her mother required emergency care. Chief Reece committed to sharing Station 7's performance impact data publicly to illustrate the value of proactive station planning.