Liverpool is a diverse city that prides itself on being excepting of all cultures (even winning the Capital of Culture Award 2008) with such a reputation, I believe that having street names with racist origins undermines the work the city has done in efforts to promote anti-racism and acceptance.

The street names that I take issue with are as follows:

Bold Street - named after Jonas Bold, Slave Merchant

Parr Street - named after Thomas Parr, Slave Trader

Tarleton Street - named after the Tarleton family, Slave Traders

Sir Thomas Street - named Sir Thomas Johnson, Slave Trader

Blackburne Place - named after John Blackburne, Slave Trader

Instead I suggest these street names be changed. I have a few more deserving suggestions of what the street names should be changed to, they are as followed:

‘Wootton street’ - Charles Wootton, Seaman who was murdered in the Kings Doc because he was a slave and a black man living in Liverpool.

‘Archer street’ - John Archer, politician and civil rights campaigner

‘Westgaph street’ - Laurence Westgaph, political activist and television presenter, specialising in British black history and slavery

‘Charles street’ - Craig Joseph Charles, actor, television presenter, DJ and poet from Liverpool

‘Gayle street’ - Howard Gayle,  first Black player for Liverpool FC

‘Marshall street’ - Cliff Marshall,  first Black player for Everton FC

‘Drysdale street’ - Liz Drysdale, social and equalities campaigner & first black female councillor in Liverpool

‘Thomas street’ - Rose Thomas, first Liverpool-born black woman to publish a novel

please sign this petition so that these slave traders can finally be left in history - where they belong.