A change of responsibility ceremony held at Fort Polk, one of the military complexes that will soon have a new name (Public Domain)

A recent opinion piece in The New York Times explores the relatively recent origins of Confederate names, symbols, and monuments in the United States and the work of the commission established to rename them. Of especial interest to those studying names are the stories behind the new names of military bases and complexes in the US. One, for example, is the new possible namesake of Fort Polk:

“The World War I hero William Henry Johnson, who served in the era of Wilson, received the Medal of Honor he richly deserved nearly a century after his service. By proposing that Fort Polk in Louisiana take Johnson’s name, the commission highlights the extremes to which the Jim Crow-era United States sometimes went to deny even the possibility of African American heroism.”

Read more about William Henry Johnson and other new namesakes over at The New York Times.

Stained Glass showcasing the “Battle of Hastings” at UC College of the Law (Public Domain)

University of California Hastings College of Law will be known as the “UC College of the Law, San Francisco” until a new name is chosen, potentially by January 2023. The Board of Directors voted for the change after it was revealed that Serranus Clinton Hastings was involved in the mass killings of the indigenous populations in Mendocino County in the 1850’s. The local tribal council has supported efforts to rename the law school.

Read more over at KRON 4 news.

Photo by Coastal Elite, Halifax, NS (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

In a recent installment of Life Kit on NPR, Tuck Woodstock explores the process of changing one’s name—a process that they have undertaken numerous times over their life. While the process can be arduous for trans people as they adjust to a new public identity, the article and accompanying audio recording outlines important considerations and the steps involved in changing a name. One tip: test drive your potential name at a coffee shop.

Read and listen over at NPR.

J. Lo (Photo by dvsross, CC-BY-2.0)

In an opinion piece in The New York Times, author Jennifer Weiner discusses the significance of marriage-related surname changes in America. Actress Jennifer Lopez’s decision to become “Jennifer Affleck” represents the majority attitude of American women toward marriage-related surname changes, Weiner writes, but it also coveys a longer tradition of historical power imbalance between men and women. Weiner argues that “Names confer identity. And married women continue to give theirs up, while married men rarely reciprocate. No matter what else changes, that power imbalance endures.”

Read more in The New York Times.

Alethia Browning Tanner, 1781-1864 (Public Domain)

On July 6, 1810, Alethia Tanner bought her freedom for $275. An article in The Washington Post tells the rest of her compelling story. On July 23, 2022 Alethia Tanner Day was celebrated in Washington D.C. at a park that bears her name in the NoMa neighborhood. After Tanner purchased her own freedom and while she was working for President Thomas Jefferson, she set up a vegetable stand near the White House. This allowed her to free dozens of her family members. Read more about Alethia Tanner’s story over at The Washington Post.

An aerial view of the former “Suicide Six” Ski Resort (Photo by Jared C. Benedict, CC-BY-4.0)

According to a report over at CNN, the Vermont Ski Resort once known as “Suicide Six” will rename itself “Saskadena Six”. The name change is prompted by the perceived insensitive nature of the term suicide and “increasing awareness” surrounding mental health

After consulting indigenous populations, the company chose the term “Saskadena” as the new name for the ski resort. Saskadena is an Abenaki term that means “standing mountain”. Read more over at CNN.

A bowl of milk and cereal comprised of pulverized oats in the shape of a solid torus (Public Domain)

A recent article in the New York Times explores alternatives to traditional commercials on television: product placement. As more and more consumers skip or ignore traditional advertising, corporations are placing their products in television and movies. Though not a new practice (the first product placement—”Sunlight” soap—can be found in the 1896 film “Laveuses”), product visibility allows manufacturers to reach consumers while minimizing production costs. Mike Proulx, an advertising consultant, says that brand names should appear “in a way that doesn’t feel like an advertisement.” Read more over at the New York Times.