President Trump announced this week that he’s planning on reverting the names of military bases that were changed in 2023 back to their original names, including Fort Johnson in Vernon Parish.
The names of nine military bases originally named for Confederate soldiers were changed in 2023 by the Congressional Naming Commission, which was formed in 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd murder protests and over the veto of President Trump.
Fort Johnson was originally Fort Polk, named for Confederate soldier Leonidas Polk.
It is currently named for William Henry Johnson, a World War I veteran from the New York National Guard unit known as the “Harlem Hellfighters.”
In a speech at Fort Bragg — itself reverted back to its original name — Trump announced plans to change the name back to Fort Polk, albeit with a twist.
“The National Defense Authorization Act said that bases wouldn’t be named after Confederate generals. So it’s not being named after Leonidas Polk again,” says State Rep. Chuck Owen (R), whose district includes Fort Johnson.
Therefore, instead of being named for Leonidas Polk, it would be named for Gen. James H. Polk.
“He was in combat in World War II, in Korea and in Vietnam,” says Owen. “He retired (as) a three-star general. He’s actually a descendant of President James K. Polk.”
Owen says Trump’s announcement is being met with widespread approval from people in the area.
“We have a culture there that had been used to the name Fort Polk for many decades,” says Owen. “And quite frankly, not everyone really even knew who it was named for. A lot of people just didn’t know. So when it was changed, it caused a lot of curiosity and concern. And so it just has not felt right since the name was changed.”
Jim Tuck, the president of the Louisiana Armed Services Alliance, says the name shouldn’t have been changed in the first place.
“We kind of felt like we were done wrong being forced on changing the name,” says Tuck, “but we’re happy to see it’s going to be changed back and hope it can continue to do that and just want to do what’s right for all the people.”
The news, however, is not being well-received by civil rights groups, including the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“This decision should alarm everyone,” Says Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the SPLC. “President Trump is seeking to honor insurrectionists who went to war against their own countrymen to preserve white supremacy and protect slavery. Celebrating the shameful actions of people who fought against American values is an affront to every member of our armed forces, particularly Black and Latino servicemembers. It also disrespects the bipartisan and democratic process that renamed the military bases to honor real American patriots.”
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