Oceanside City Council Acts to Honor Dr. King

The Oceanside City Council, anxious to avoid the controversy that has erupted in San Diego over choosing an appropriate tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Wednesday approved six proposals to honor the slain civil-rights leader.

The five council members unanimously supported all but one recommendation drafted by an ad hoc committee established last June by the council that is charged with developing ideas for a memorial to King.

The council approved the committee’s recommendations to name a new public park and a meeting room in the city’s new Civic Center in honor of King, acquire a statue or bust, create a scholarship fund and a citizen award and establish a Dr. Martin Luther King book collection at the public library.

But, to the disappointment of leaders from the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the council declined to adopt a proposal by the committee to change the name of the Oceanside Public Library to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library when it moves to its new home.

The public library, which has maintained its existing name for 84 years, will be expanded and housed in the Civic Center, which is under construction.

‘Somewhat Disappointed’

“I’m somewhat disappointed,” said Reginald Owens, president of the North County Chapter of the NAACP, who also served on the committee. “I thought we could have made a little more progress. But I feel good that we can do those other things. It’s a move in the right direction.”

To the relief of community leaders, that direction steered council and committee members away from a King tribute controversy similar to the one that has raged in San Diego.

A proposal to place King’s name on the $160-million San Diego Convention Center has once again stirred an emotional debate that first emerged more than a year ago when San Diego voters stripped King’s name from Market Street.

The seven-member board of the San Diego Unified Port District is expected to address the name change this month. The port commissioners’ vote is required because the uncompleted convention center sits on Port District land. The San Diego City Council must also approve the change.

“This is something we were trying to do to honor Dr. King in a spirit of harmony,” said Dana Whitson, who was the city’s liaison to the committee. “It wasn’t supposed to be divisive. We wanted to avoid the controversy that’s going on in San Diego.”

The recommendation to name the new library after King was supported by a majority of the committee, which included representatives from the NAACP, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, the library’s trustees, community residents and representatives from the city’s Human Relations and Parks and Recreation commissions.

Library trustees previously voted to oppose the name change, arguing that they wanted to maintain the existing name, Oceanside Public Library, which has wide public recognition and has been in use for 84 years.

They were also concerned that the proposed name, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, would give a false impression that it contains a significant collection of books and materials about King. That could also imply, it was feared, that the library serves a limited purpose rather than the needs of the general reader.

Library Name

“We have built our history, our knowledge, our reputation as one of the best libraries in the state as the Oceanside Public Library,” said Irene Duehren, chairwoman of the library’s board of trustees. “The name has been in use since the city was incorporated. It’s just like the name of a well-established business that has recognition. You wouldn’t change its name either.”

The trustees, however, endorsed the recommendation to establish a King book collection at the new library.

“Those of us who been exposed to the library have been very proud of its success,” said Mayor Larry Bagley, who sympathized with the trustees’ concerns. “I resist changing the library’s name.”

But Owens, the committee spokesman, disagreed.

“I understand their concern for historic preservation, but I think it’s a tired rationale,” Owens said. “We have to keep in tune with progress. The nation has a new holiday to honor not only a national hero, but an international hero. The city is going to have a new civic center and a new library. I think it’s appropriate that the library be named after Dr. King.”