Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Detroit council selects five honorary street signs

Detroit council selects five honorary street signs

Rule Changes Detroit, MI local

Martha Jean Steinberg, Andrew L. Starks Sr., Ernest Harden Jr., Tyrone Winfrey Sr. and Luther Keith will get secondary signs.

Yesterday: Council selects five honorees

Overview

Updated 3 hours ago

Detroit City Council on Tuesday selected five people for honorary secondary street signs, choosing from 20 nominees after public comment and three rounds of voting. The honorees are Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg, Andrew L. Starks Sr., Ernest Harden Jr., Tyrone Winfrey Sr. and Luther “Bad Man” Keith.

The picks fill the city’s annual cap of five signs. Some council members are now proposing a pause for 2027 to rethink a process that drew nearly 70 commenters and complaints about short speaking time and a five-year rollover limit.

Why it matters

Detroit’s five-sign cap forces the council to choose among dozens of local legacies, and the rules for that choice may change next year.

Last Monday's email for Detroit, MI

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

5
Honorees selected in 2026
The city allows up to five secondary street signs each year.
20
New and returning nominees
Council chose from a list of 20 nominees in the 2026 cycle.
$675
General application fee
The fee is nonrefundable, even if a nominee is not selected.
$400
Installation fee per selected sign
Signs are not manufactured or installed until the fee is paid.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

MS
Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg
2026 honorary street sign honoree
Selected for honorary sign
AS
Andrew L. Starks Sr.
2026 honorary street sign honoree
Selected for honorary sign
 Ernest Harden Jr.
Ernest Harden Jr.
2026 honorary street sign honoree
Selected for honorary sign
TS
Tyrone Winfrey Sr.
2026 honorary street sign honoree
Selected for honorary sign
LK
Luther “Bad Man” Keith
2026 honorary street sign honoree
Selected for honorary sign
LJ
Latisha Johnson
Detroit City Council member
Proposed a 2027 pause for the secondary street sign program
JT
James Tate
Detroit City Council president
Presided over the 2026 selection meeting
 Coleman A. Young II
Coleman A. Young II
Detroit City Council president pro tempore
Criticized parts of the secondary street sign ordinance

Organizations Involved

Detroit City Council
Detroit City Council
Municipal legislative body
Selected the 2026 honorees and is considering process changes

Detroit’s City Council selects up to five secondary street sign honorees each year.
HD
Historic Designation Advisory Board
City advisory board
Administers Secondary Street Sign applications and eligibility review

The board reviews applications for Detroit’s Secondary Street Sign program before they reach the City Council.

Timeline

June 2026 November 2026

4 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Council selects five honorees

    Latest Decision

    Council selects five honorees from 20 nominees after three voting rounds.

  2. Process concerns raised

    Process

    Johnson proposes 2027 pause; Young criticizes five-year rollover limit.

  3. Public hearing draws supporters

    Hearing

    Public hearing draws supporters for nominees before council vote.

  4. 2026 applications close

    Process

    2026 Secondary Street Sign applications close; 2027 cycle set for Jan. 4.

Scenarios

1

Detroit pauses 2027 street sign cycle to rewrite rules

Possible Resolves by Jan 4, 2027

Discussed by: Council Member Latisha Johnson and residents at the Nov. 10 session

Council Member Latisha Johnson has proposed a one-year pause to consider changes, including reducing the applicant backlog. If the council adopts a pause before Jan. 4, the 2027 cycle would not open as scheduled.

2

2027 street sign cycle opens under current rules

Likely Resolves by Jan 4, 2027

Discussed by: City of Detroit official Secondary Street Sign page

The city’s Secondary Street Sign page says the 2027 application window opens Jan. 4, 2027. Unless the council acts first, applicants would again compete for five signs under Chapter 43.

3

Council amends street sign ordinance in 2027

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Council President Pro Tempore Coleman A. Young II and Council Member Latisha Johnson

Council members have questioned the five-year rollover limit and the short public comment period. An amendment could change eligibility, carryover or selection rules, but no vote has been scheduled.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

October 2025

Detroit’s 2025 secondary street sign cycle (2025)

Council selected five honorees from 23 applications after more than 100 people attended or called in. The class included Rev. JoAnn Watson and restaurateur Greg Mudge, and the council made exceptions to the usual five-year deceased rule.

Then

The five signs were approved for specific intersections.

Now

The cycle showed how much public attention the five annual slots draw and how much discretion the council has over eligibility.

Why this matters now

The 2026 session repeated the pattern: a large applicant pool, organized supporters and council debate over the rules.

October 2024

Detroit’s 2024 secondary street sign class (2024)

Council approved signs for Vincent Chin, Earl Cureton, Amp Fiddler, Horace L. Sheffield Jr. and J Dilla. The class mixed civil-rights, sports, music and community figures.

Then

Each name was assigned to a secondary sign at a Detroit intersection.

Now

The picks showed the program’s role in marking cultural memory, not just civic service.

Why this matters now

The 2026 class follows the same five-slot format and a similar mix of arts, education and community work.

Sources

(4)
BridgeDetroit City of Detroit The Perna Team DetroitYES