Symbolism isn’t enough: What Tennessee’s MLK streets reveal about investment and power

By: Angela Dennis

Outlets: Tennessee Lookout

Published: January 19, 2026

Words: 2,445

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

Body Text Preview

Across the country, streets named for Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. don’t need explaining in Black communities.

They are known by feel. Among long corridors where beauty supply stores sit beside corner stores, where barbershops outlast boarded-up buildings, where potholes crowd the pavement and front-porch conversations stretch past sundown. These are not symbolic roads. They are places where Black life continues, day after day, despite decades of disinvestment, living in the shadow of a …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us