This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Recently I drove to the historic and beloved Negro Bill Canyon in Moab for a hike and was shocked and highly disappointed when I observed that the sign identifying the trailhead was being replaced with a new sign — one titled Grandstaff Trailhead.
There are two major problems with this renaming. First, the NAACP, many Utahns, tourists and I agree that it is wrong to rewrite history in a way that diminishes the struggles of African Americans by erasing any elements of that history. It is, in addition, a particularly egregious insult to misspell the man's name in the process. (i.e.: Granstaff — there is no 'd').
Moab City Council made a connection between the word "Negro" and the Charleston mass shootings. The intent of the council action, while well intentioned, misses the mark. The wording of Negro Bill Canyon should not be changed any more than the birth certificates of millions of Americans who have the word Negro listed as their race. The lesson is not to alter the reality of history, but to work together to assure a respectful future for each of us. History is not the enemy.
Sylvia Bennion
Salt Lake City