Change has officially come to one Greensboro street. You might remember the city decided to rename Aycock Street after debate over its namesake. Charles Aycock was the governor of North Carolina in the early 1900, but was an advocate for white supremacy.
Today, the change has come and the new street signs are up. What was Aycock Street is now Josephine Boyd Street. The street honors the late Josephine Boyd Bradley. She was the first black student to attend what's now Grimsley High. Her daughter Paulette spoke with us via facetime and said, "She was alone her senior year going to school, she graduated in the top 10 percent of her class and did very well. [...] She truly believed in education and loved students."
Bradley went on to get her undergrad degree, a masters in social work, and a ph d. She became an educational advocate in North Carolina and several other southeastern states before her death in 2015.
Paulette said the street sign recognition brings things full circle. "We are grateful that my mother who wrote her dissertation entitled 'Wearing Her Name' has a street named after her and indeed we are all wearing her name today."
When asked what her mom would think about the honor, Paulette said, "My mom was so humble and extremely meek in her approach to everything and she would be overwhelmed at the fuss that's being made over her and I think she would be happy... very happy to see what after awhile, the moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice."
The street sign change cost the city about $15,000 and Paulette encourages people to check it out, "She cherished students reaching their academic goals, so I would encourage everyone to ride by and see the street and remember that about her."