WP: BWI Airport One Step Closer to Changing Name to BWI Thurgood Marshall

[DeepModem Mom]

BWI One Step Closer to Changing Its Name
Ehrlich Signs Law to Add 'Thurgood Marshall' to Maryland Airport's Title

By John Wagner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 11, 2005; Page B01


Maryland's largest airport would be renamed in honor of the late Thurgood Marshall, the nation's first black Supreme Court justice, under legislation signed into law yesterday by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R).

The law calls for the airport to be christened the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, in recognition of the Baltimore native's contribution to the civil rights movement as a lawyer, activist and judge. A three-member state panel on which Ehrlich sits must give the change final approval, which is expected later this year.

"I am sure that every member of the Marshall family will rejoice with this, and so will millions across the country," said civil rights activist Dorothy Height, speaking on behalf of the justice's family during a ceremony that drew several hundred people to a plaza outside the State House in Annapolis, where a statue of Marshall as a young lawyer stands.

The new name, which comes at a time of growth for the state-owned airport, would likely first be evident from sign changes within the airport. BWI would retain its internationally known three-letter locator code, and some at yesterday's ceremony said they expect the airport still would be commonly known by the name it has carried since 1973.

But advocates said that adding Marshall's name would ensure that future generations learn of his place in history. Passage of the legislation became a leading priority for many of Maryland's black lawmakers this session....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/10/AR2005051000838.html

[struggle4progress]

1. Well, that somewhat offsets my pain over DC's "Ronald McDonald airport"

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Now THAT'S a great idea!!!!

Marshall is one of the more overlooked heroes of the Civil Rights movement, and should be honored in more ways than this.

But, it's a start!:thumbsup:

[salin]

3. Finally, a headline that makes me smile

:thumbsup:

[brooklynite]

4. My one qualm with this...

is not whether Justice Marshall deserves commemoration; its the growing habit of simply attaching the name of the honoree to the existing name (e.g. "Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport"). In yee olden days (say, 20 years ago), if someone was worth honoring, they were worthy enough to be given the entire facility name. That's why we don't fly through "John F. Kennedy Idelwild Airport" (although we do have to cross the "Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge").

[tabasco]

5. Super idea !!!

I'm so proud he is a fellow Marylander.

Sort of takes the sting out of "Reagan National" (disgraceful).

George Washington wasn't good enough for the asshole repugs.