The local chapter of the NAACP wants the city to rename a section of Capitol Parkway “Rosa Parks Way” to honor the civil rights pioneer who died last year.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has applied with the city planning department to rename the section of Capitol Parkway from Ninth Street to U.S. 77.

Leroy Stokes, president of the Lincoln branch of the NAACP, said they chose that stretch because there are no houses or buildings that would have to change stationery and everything that goes along with an address change.

The Lincoln City Council must approve the name change. A hearing on the proposal has not yet been scheduled.

Stokes said his group started talking about honoring the black woman best known for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., around the time she died. She was active in the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP.

“Lincoln is one of few major cities that doesn’t have a street named after a minority,” Stokes said. “Omaha has MLK Boulevard. Lots are named after Kings. It’s her due; it’s time to recognize her.”

Mayor Coleen Seng has expressed support for the idea to NAACP representatives. However, city officials have told NAACP representatives they’ll have to cover the estimated $15,000 to $20,000 cost of new street signs.

“It seems like an awful lot to us,” Stokes said. “I hope there is some justification on why it would cost so much.”

But the NAACP branch intends to try to raise the money to avoid creating any “bone of contention” and will officially roll out the Rosa Parks project during its annual Freedom Fund Scholarship banquet Nov. 11 at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel.

NAACP representatives have contacted City Council members, and gotten “very favorable” responses from five of the seven, Stokes said — one of whom they haven’t heard back from yet.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.