A petition surfaced on Care2 Petitions to rename the town of Carrboro to Unicornboro, and has 26 signatures as of Monday night.
The petition's creator, Ralph G., stated on the petition website that he wanted to change the town name because of its namesake Julian Shakespeare Carr and his racist past.
The petition motions for the change to Unicornboro because “Julian Carr was an outspoken white supremacist … and everyone knows that Unicorns are a lot Cooler than Carr ever was!”
Alderman Damon Seils said he acknowledged the name change as something to look toward in the future, but said the work the Town of Carrboro has done has created a larger impact.
“I think it’s really important for us to know our history and I think a lot of people in Carrboro are interested in understanding that history better,” he said. “We, on the board, have really taken on, I think, the task of trying to do some really hard work around the issue of racial equity."
That “hard work” was outlined in the Board of Aldermen’s Resolution Against White Supremacy August 16th. Seils is proud of what Carrboro has developed and will continue to create.
“I’m really proud of the way Carrboro has continued to step out on issues statewide and (of) national importance and to be a place where everyone can succeed and at least make a good life,” he said.
Alderman Bethany Chaney said she was not opposed to a name change, but she doesn't want that to overshadow potential systemic improvements.
“I think that (understanding Carrboro’s history), that’s important," she said. "And more important to do before we entertain changing the name because changing the name doesn’t change anything else about (the) town and isn’t that what we’re trying to do if we are really seeking to be an anti-racist society."
