Council Weighs Renaming Part of Evers Boulevard

Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes proposes honoring 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, drawing opposition from the Evers family.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in City Hall

Council Weighs Renaming Part of Evers Boulevard

Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes proposed renaming a section of Medgar Evers Boulevard from Pocahontas Avenue to Freedom Corner in honor of Kohen Wiley, a 1-year-old who was fatally shot by a police officer in Senatobia. Members of the Evers family attended a Jackson City Council meeting to oppose the plan.

Why it matters

The proposal pits a memorial for a child killed in a police shooting against a street name that has honored civil rights leader Medgar Evers for 42 years. The outcome will shape how Jackson balances competing tributes to its residents on public roadways.

The proposal would rename the segment of Medgar Evers Boulevard running from Pocahontas Avenue to Freedom Corner, a street designation that has been in place for 42 years. No vote outcome has been reported.

The players

Kenneth Stokes

Jackson City Councilman representing Ward 3 who proposed the renaming of part of Medgar Evers Boulevard.

Wanda Evers

Family member of civil rights leader Medgar Evers who opposed the renaming proposal at the council meeting.

The details

Stokes said Kohen should be recognized because the honor would not happen in Senatobia, where the child was fatally shot. Wanda Evers attended the council meeting to oppose the Ward 3 plan, saying she tried to contact Stokes beforehand and did not receive a return call.

42 years ago: The Medgar Evers Boulevard street designation was established.
Nov. 6, 2026: Evers family members opposed the renaming at a Jackson City Council meeting.

Legal Context

The renaming proposal would reopen a street designation that has honored Medgar Evers for 42 years, placing it in tension with the longstanding public commemoration of the civil rights leader on Jackson's roadways.

If the council approves the change, drivers and residents along the affected segment of Medgar Evers Boulevard would see a different street name. The proposal remains before the council with no vote reported.

The takeaway

Street naming decisions can carry lasting meaning for families and communities, and public meetings give residents a direct channel to weigh in before any change is made.