Amateur historians and residents of Lester Park have wondered for years who the neighborhood, street and river were named after.
No such conjecturing is necessary for Portia Johnson Drive. A tiny ribbon of road connecting Duluth Central High School to Blackman Avenue, the stretch will today bear the name of the longtime Duluth community activist known for her tireless work to make the city more welcoming.
After a brief ceremony, a sign unveiling and a reception at 10:30 a.m., Portia Johnson Drive will honor the 67-year-old East Hillside resident who fought to create the street to ease traffic congestion in the neighborhood.
Johnson's resume includes years of employment with St. Louis County, service as an election judge, chairwoman ofthe annual Juneteenth celebration, membership on the school district's Desegregation Council and a stint as citizen representative on the News Tribune editorial board, to name only a few activities.
The renaming of the private road comes from the Central High School Site Council. (It's much harder to have a public street named for you. Just ask Bob Dylan.) Should more Duluth streets be named for living persons? Certainly, if others step up for the betterment of the community the way Johnson has.
