The City of Rye will host a special street naming ceremony on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 11:00am, honoring the legacy of local civil rights leaders M. Paul and Orial Redd. The event will feature the unveiling of the new street sign at Rye’s Metro North Station Plaza, remarks from elected officials, and a performance of poetry. There will also be a new “Walk Rye History” panel commemorating the Redds’ contributions. Residents are expected to gather at Station Plaza.
M. Paul and Orial Redd were pioneering voices for civil rights and social justice in Westchester and beyond. In the early 1960s, Redd and his wife, Orial Anne Banks Redd, faced racial discrimination when they were denied housing at the Rye Colony garden apartments in Rye, just steps from where they will now have a street named after them. Through their leadership, advocacy, and work as publishers, they gave voice to issues of equity, democracy, and community empowerment—leaving an enduring mark on Rye and the region.
The speaker schedule for Saturday includes:
- Master of Ceremonies: Executive Director of the Westchester Human Rights Commission Tejash V. Sanchala, Esq.
- Master of Ceremonies: Rye civil rights and criminal defense lawyer Mayo Bartlett
- Rye Mayor Josh Cohn
- Westchester Legislator Catherine Parker
- Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins
- New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, president pro tempore and majority leader
- Congressman George Latimer
- President, NAACP NY State Conference L. Joy Williams
- Poet Laureate NAACP ACT-So Gold Medal Finalist Kaitlyn Leslie
- Sign unveiling: Paul Redd Jr.
- Sign unveiling: Anne Fausto-Sterling (daughter of Dorothy Sterling)
- Sign unveiling: Peter Sterling (son of Dorothy Sterling)
Read: RyeGPT People of Note: Civil Rights Activist & Publisher M. Paul Redd Sr. and Residents Ask City to Honor Local Civil Rights Leader.
“This is a historic moment for Rye,” said organizers Marion Anderson and Ingraham Taylor. “By co-naming Station Plaza in honor of M. Paul and Orial Redd, this will ensure their legacy of courage, justice, and community leadership continues to inspire future generations.”
Anderson is running for Rye City Council.
