Since 1974, the short block in Bed Stuy between Marcy and Tompkins formerly known as Floyd Street has borne the honor of being called Martin Luther King Jr. Place. As The New York Times points out today, it's "not much of a block," but it's all that Brooklyn's got. "I always wondered why they named a little street for him and not a big street,” said Floyd Moore, who had to give up bragging rights to this block when the name change happened. While other cities have grand boulevards named after the famous civil rights leader and Manhattan has 125th Street, this modest stretch with a few small apartment buildings and a concrete park will have to do for Brooklyn. And it is a source of pride for some who live there, despite reports of frequent drug and crime activity. Still, don't count on your taxi driver knowing where it is. “I say, ‘Between Myrtle Avenue and Park Avenue,’ ” said Kassen Yafi, who co-owns the supermarket on the corner. “If you say ‘Martin Luther King Place,’ they don’t know it.”
‘Not Much of a Block,’ but It’s Named for a King [NYT] GMAP
