Former Denver Mayor Benjamin Stapleton was indeed a member of the Ku Klux Klan, one of the most vile organizations in U.S. history.
And the Klan supported his initial election in 1923.
Given such an odious association, you can certainly understand why there are calls periodically to sweep Stapleton’s name from landmarks and place names.
In the latest instance, the group Black Lives Matter 5280 has distributed fliers throughout the Stapleton neighborhood in Denver calling for a change.
The group believes use of the Stapleton name promotes white supremacy.
That’s an extremely grave argument, but it’s worth noting that Stapleton was eventually repentent. After he left the Ku Klux Klan he denounced it, saying, “True Americanism does not hide under a sheet.”
It should also go without saying that the neighborhood is not named after Stapleton to honor that aspect of his life.
“Interminable Ben” was mayor for 20 years, and is an indelible part of the city’s history. But like a lot of historical figures, unfortunately, he was anything but perfect.
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