More than a year after a Confederate statue was removed from the now James Weldon Johnson Park, a Jacksonville man has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Lenny Curry and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over other statues that are still standing.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville city leaders will discuss the idea of renaming a local school after civil rights attorney, Earl Johnson. Johnson was the first Black attorney admitted to the Jacksonville Bar Association and represented prominent civil rights activists throughout his career, including working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. According to his biography with the Civil Rights Hall of Fame, Earl Johnson, Sr. led a lucrative legal career and was a champion for equal rights. Johnson, Sr. became known for taking on cases that helped desegregate public places in Florida. The issue of renaming schools has been a major topic in the River City this year.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. As Jacksonville looks at the possibility of renaming several schools in the city that have names tied to the Confederacy, one City Councilman is pushing for the name of Earl Johnson to be placed on a school. Johnson was an African American city leader who was involved in a lot of local and national history, particularly in the 1960s. And also, as well, when MLK would come to Florida, Earl Johnson was his attorney, Carlucci told News4Jax on Sunday. Carlucci said Johnson could realistically have been Jacksonvilles first mayor back when the city decided to consolidate in the late 60s. Earl Johnson gave up the opportunity to probably be Jacksonvilles first Black mayor and instead supported consolidation.