Photo: Carl Stevens/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — City leaders and the Mission Hill neighborhood honor a beloved community member with a street renaming.
In 1989, when Pauline Bennet's son, William "Willie" Bennett, was wrongly accused of killing Carol Stuart, Pauline fiercely defended her son's innocence. The accusations created racial tension in the city. Then-Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn dispatched more than 100 additional police officers to Black neighborhoods in the city. "Stop and frisk" became a daily routine for the Black residents until the truth came to light.
Carol Stuwart was murdered by her husband, Charles. He accused a black man of robbing and killing Carol and shooting him in the stomach.
Read More: New Edition Honored By Mayor Wu With Proclamation and Street Renaming
On Saturday, Turquoise Way was renamed Pauline Bennett Way to honor her commitment to the community and to her family. Mayor Michelle Wu made it official as they unveiled the new street sign.
"So, we are proud to immortalize you, Ms. Pauline, write up on that sign that will forever have your name on it, and we're proud to always remember your legacy here in Mission Hill. Today, the former Turquoise Way will now be Pauline Bennett Way," Wu said.
WBZ NewsRadio's Carl Stevens (@carlwbz) reports.