Boston voters rejected a proposal Tuesday to change the name of Roxbury's Dudley Square to "Nubian Square."
In unofficial returns, about 54% of voters disapproved of a ballot question to change the name of the square. The citywide ballot question was nonbinding, and Mayor Marty Walsh has said he will give more weight to votes from residents of the neighborhood.
Activists have pushed to eliminate the name Dudley — the second governor of Massachusetts, who allowed the passage of laws that permitted slavery — and replace it with a reference to the ancient African kingdom. A convenience store called A Nubian Notion also operated in the square for decades.
Sadiki Kambon, who has been leading the Nubian Square Coalition for five years, told WGBH News in October the proposed name change is about cultural awareness guiding development in the predominantly African-American neighborhood, not just symbolism.
“Our expectation is that with Nubian Square, there’s going to be a cultural connection,” Kambon said. “Then, hopefully, young black entrepreneurs are going to want to start their businesses there.”
WGBH News' Saraya Wintersmith contributed to this report.
