Road that bisects the Arboretum could be renamed for an enslaved woman who once lived nearby

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department, which owns the Arnold Arboretum, and Harvard University, which has 858 years left on its lease of the land, have petitioned the city Public Improvement Commission to change the name of Bussey Street to Flora Way.

Residents in both Jamaica Plain and Roslindale organized to re-name the road after somebody other than Benjamin Bussey, whose estate became the main part of the arboretum but whose sugar, coffee and cotton businesses in the early 19th century that led to the estate were based on the use of enslaved people.

According to the working group that came up with five proposed new names for the road:

Flora and two of the other five finalists were enslaved people in the 18th century who lived in the vicinity of the Arboretum landscape more than 100 years before its founding. All five names had their champions and received strong scores, but Flora had the highest rating. Flora was the clear choice of the 378 residents from the street’s contiguous neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain and Roslindale, as well as from an additional 120 citywide and statewide respondents who submitted their input.

Flora was among four people enslaved by William Dudley, grandson of one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay colony and a resident of Roxbury, which at the time included what is now Roslindale and Jamaica Plain. After his death in 1743, Flora was listed in probate records as asset of his estate - an "old woman" valued at £40.

The group cited residents who gave reasons to honor Flora in particular:

"I chose Flora as my top pick because of how slavery hid her from having a known identity. Naming the street Flora raises her into our awareness and gives her life."

"Flora is also the most poetic and apropos for the environs of all the names."

"I chose Flora because women are so very overlooked in our history ... Plus, Flora & Arboretum go together & it rolls off the tongue in a lovely way."

"I just love Flora. I want to honor a person who was enslaved, and I want a beautiful name for the street that also celebrates the trees."

Also:

The working group has taken care not to demonize Benjamin Bussey for his role as a merchant who engaged in trade that supported and profited from slavery, as did many of his contemporaries. He was also a generous philanthropist, whose gift of the land to Harvard eventually became a large part of Arboretum, 30 years after his death. In recognition of his gift with full knowledge of his complex legacy, the Arboretum will keep his name on three prominent parts of the landscape: Bussey Hill, Bussey Brook and Bussey Brook Meadow.

Among the other people in the running for having the street renamed after them:

The community input effort was complicated by a significant number of submissions from around the country and the world, particularly from Hong Kong, that overwhelmingly supported one of the other finalist names: Dr. Shiu-ying Hu, a botanist researcher and teacher from China who worked at the Arnold Arboretum for over 30 years. The outpouring of affection for her was heartfelt, but the Arboretum has recognized her legacy in a number of ways.