Bureau Co. Man Wants a New Name for Negro Creek
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: January 23, 2012
BUREAU CO. - The name of a creek is causing controversy in Bureau County.
The creek runs between the towns of Cherry and DePue. It's formal name is Negro Creek.
But one man says it's often referred to using racial slurs like the "N" word.
"The tipping point for me was when I heard it mentioned once in the village hall," said Phillip Mol of DePue.
Mol wants to have the creek's name changed. He said, "The word 'negro,' it's time for it to go."
He started a Facebook page called "Let's rename Negro Creek." So far, nearly 200 people are supporting it.
Mol's plan is to submit a name change application with the U.S. Geological Survey.
"I believe it's time for the area to move into the 21st century, and part of that is getting this old slur off the maps," he said.
Mol's efforts are not winning over everyone, though. Chad Errio of Seatonville started a Facebook page called "Leave Negro Creak Alone."
"It's a name. It's not a view of what people around here believe," he said.
The creek is named after Bureau County's first black settlers. Many of them were slave families.
Land records show they started arriving in the 1820's.
As far as Bureau County leaders can tell, the creek's name was not meant to be racist or malicious.
Errio said, "We're proud of our history here with the Underground Railroad."
He said changing the creek's name would be like rewriting history. Instead, he wants the creek's history, both the good and the bad, to be embraced.
"We wouldn't be who we are without our history. You can't change what happened. You can only learn from it. And if you try to bury the past, you're bound to make the same mistakes," Errio said.
As for Mol, he's open to a compromise that also embraces history.
But he said he'd still like to see the name changed.
"As time goes on, that use of the phrase "N" word creek will diminish, especially if it's removed," he said.
A meeting on the issue is scheduled for February 11 at 3 p.m. at the DePue United Church of Christ.
Mol also plans on asking the Bureau County Board to pass a resolution supporting his effort.
The creek runs between the towns of Cherry and DePue. It's formal name is Negro Creek.
But one man says it's often referred to using racial slurs like the "N" word.
"The tipping point for me was when I heard it mentioned once in the village hall," said Phillip Mol of DePue.
Mol wants to have the creek's name changed. He said, "The word 'negro,' it's time for it to go."
He started a Facebook page called "Let's rename Negro Creek." So far, nearly 200 people are supporting it.
Mol's plan is to submit a name change application with the U.S. Geological Survey.
"I believe it's time for the area to move into the 21st century, and part of that is getting this old slur off the maps," he said.
Mol's efforts are not winning over everyone, though. Chad Errio of Seatonville started a Facebook page called "Leave Negro Creak Alone."
"It's a name. It's not a view of what people around here believe," he said.
The creek is named after Bureau County's first black settlers. Many of them were slave families.
Land records show they started arriving in the 1820's.
As far as Bureau County leaders can tell, the creek's name was not meant to be racist or malicious.
Errio said, "We're proud of our history here with the Underground Railroad."
He said changing the creek's name would be like rewriting history. Instead, he wants the creek's history, both the good and the bad, to be embraced.
"We wouldn't be who we are without our history. You can't change what happened. You can only learn from it. And if you try to bury the past, you're bound to make the same mistakes," Errio said.
As for Mol, he's open to a compromise that also embraces history.
But he said he'd still like to see the name changed.
"As time goes on, that use of the phrase "N" word creek will diminish, especially if it's removed," he said.
A meeting on the issue is scheduled for February 11 at 3 p.m. at the DePue United Church of Christ.
Mol also plans on asking the Bureau County Board to pass a resolution supporting his effort.
Comments
Changing the name has nothing to do with changing the history. The name [censored] Creek is like giving them permission to use the deragatory name and that is not acceptable we are living in a time when we need to move past all the bull [censored] and show our children a better way...I too grew up in DePue Illinois and the name should be changed if they are so into perserving history then change the name to Adams or Love maybe they would be proud of [censored] in 1895 but this is 2012.....Show those early black settlers some honor now and show how far we have came as a people...SMH....
Danielle L.
January 31, 2012 at 11:22 pm
I used to live in DePue Ill. and I remember [censored] Creek... I think you should leave the name as it is!!! As disturbing as it was when I first moved there and learned the name I was fine with it after I looked up the reson for it's name and the history of the creek. I think you should leave well enough alone. That's the problem with folks today...You wanna throw away the "history" of things
and create your own!!!! Leave It Alone!!!!!
marcilla q.
January 29, 2012 at 6:53 pm
