An online petition has been posted with the aim of renaming Lee Circle in New Orleans for Leah Chase.
Chase, a culinary icon in the city who also was viewed as a cultural and business leader and who was a pioneer in the civil rights movement, died last week.
Today, the National Food and Beverage Foundation started a petition, in which the Southern Food and Beverage Museum offered to cover the cost of creating and installing a statute of Chase at the top of the pillar in the center of the circle. It used to hold a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee, but that statute, along with others symbolic of white supremacy and the Civil War, were removed several years ago.
Here’s the text of the petition:
We have an empty space at Lee’s Circle in New Orleans. There is no better New Orleanian to honor at the circle than Leah Chase. We should honor Mrs. Chase and her legacy by making it “Leah Chase’s Circle. ” A statue of Leah Chase would bring all New Orleanians together in honor of one of our greatest culture bearers.
Mrs. Chase has been a tireless champion for New Orleans’ food and culture and has made an enormous impact on not just New Orleans, but the United States through her tireless commitment to civil rights and her work to uplift our communities. Mrs. Chase represents the best of New Orleans. Honoring Leah Chase with a statue would be a well deserved honor in the spirit of the Crescent City and its proud residents.
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is proud to cover the cost of the creation and installation of a statue of Leah Chase. Support this petition and let our city government know that we’ve found the right person to represent New Orleans in one of the city’s most prominent locations. This wonderful addition to our city will require no taxpayer funding.
To see the petition for yourself, click here.
