Dozens of teddy bears that memorialized Michael Brown Jr. were removed from the site on Canfield Drive in Ferguson on Wednesday, May 20. The memorial will be replaced by a permanent plaque honoring Brown, who was fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer in August 2014.
Michael Brown Sr., the slain teen’s father, appeared with Mayor James Knowles in the Ferguson Community Center to unveil the plaque. Brown Sr. acknowledged that the current memorial site has become a safety concern and that he is content with a new, permanent replacement.
The announcement came on what would have been Brown’s 19th birthday, and followed a press conference announcing that Canfield Drive, the street where Brown was shot, would be repaved within the week.
The slain teen’s mother, Leslie McSpadden has often said her son’s blood “is in that street.” The roadside memorial took shape near where the young man died and his body lay in the street for four and a half hours on August, sparking outrage that led to months of unrest. Since August, the memorial has been a place for the community to congregate and reflect on Brown’s death.
In a press release, Knowles said that he understands the “situation is not easy for all parties involved,” adding that the “event will forever be a part of Ferguson’s history – but it is important that the community moves forward.”
The teddy bears and other memorabilia are currently being stored at an Urban League center. Representatives from the Urban League shared on social media the items will be professionally cleaned and displayed at the future West Florissant Urban League location.
The owner of Canfield Green Apartments, Lipton Property Management Company, will fund the street resurfacing project. In September, the teddy bear memorial was rebuilt after the original one burned down for reasons police were unable to explain.
The City of Ferguson is preparing for its next town hall meeting 7 p.m. May 28 at the Ferguson Community Center, which will focus on community policing.
This story was published as part of a partnership between The St. Louis American and The Huffington Post,www.huffingtonpost.com.
