Renaming of Berlin Street Honors Feminist Poet Audre Lorde
Berlin's Audre-Lorde-Straße Honours African-American Feminist Poet
In a significant move, a street in Berlin's Kreuzberg neighbourhood has been renamed Audre-Lorde-Straße, in honour of the African-American poet, black lesbian-feminist writer, and activist, Audre Lorde. The renaming took effect on Friday, June 28, 2019.
Audre Lorde spent significant time living and teaching in West Berlin from 1984 to 1992, and her work and activism had a profound impact on the city's people of colour (POC) and queer communities. Her influences can still be felt in Berlin's social and cultural fabric today.
The northern section of Manteuffelstraße has been officially renamed Audre-Lorde-Straße. Manteuffelstraße, previously named after conservative politician Otto Theodor von Manteuffel since 1852, will retain its original name in the southern section.
The renaming of the street is a recognition of Audre Lorde's significant contributions to literature and feminism. This move symbolizes the acknowledgement of Lorde’s legacy as a black queer feminist activist and thinker who contributed to Berlin’s social and cultural fabric.
The event to inaugurate Audre-Lorde-Straße is organised by the FHXB museum and Dekoloniale Berlin, starting at 17:00. The ceremony includes speeches from politicians, activists, scholars, and filmmakers, as well as music and catering from food trucks.
Audre Lorde is celebrated globally for her works, and her connection to Berlin is a testament to the city's diverse history of black and queer resistance and rights movements. Today, Audre-Lorde-Straße serves not only as a tribute to her life and work but also as a cultural landmark for ongoing discussions around intersectionality, feminism, race, and queer identity in Germany’s capital.
References:
- The Berliner Zeitung
- DW
- The Guardian
- The Local
- The New York Times
