Nancy Mace Proposes Renaming Former Black Lives Matter Plaza After Slain Conservative Activist Charlie Kirk

Representative Nancy Mace is introducing legislation to rename a prominent section of Washington, D.C., after Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was assassinated three months ago while speaking at a college free-speech event in Utah.

The facts are straightforward. The South Carolina Republican wants to replace the designation of what was formerly known as Black Lives Matter Plaza with a memorial to Kirk, whose murder while exercising his First Amendment rights represents one of the most significant attacks on political speech in recent American history.

“Black Lives Matter is a terrorist organization that wants to defund the police and take your speech away,” Mace stated. “And what I want to do on the three-month anniversary of Charlie Kirk’s political assassination is celebrate him and the First Amendment and freedom of speech by renaming the plaza after him.”

Let’s examine the history here. The two-block area in the nation’s capital was renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by the city’s government in June 2020 during the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The city even painted a massive mural with the words “Black Lives Matter” across the street. This was pure political theater, elevating a far-left activist organization to a place of honor in America’s capital.

That designation was reversed in March 2025 after sustained pressure from Republicans, including President Donald Trump, as part of the broader pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have infiltrated government institutions.

Now, here is where logic must prevail. Black Lives Matter, while not officially designated as a terrorist organization, has faced bipartisan criticism for its radical positions, particularly its calls to “defund the police.” Even some Democrats have distanced themselves from the organization’s more extreme rhetoric. Questions have also emerged about the group’s financial management and how it allocates its funding.

The contrast could not be clearer. On one side, you have an organization that advocated for reducing law enforcement and engaged in divisive identity politics. On the other, you have Charlie Kirk, a young conservative leader who was murdered simply for speaking about free speech on a college campus.

Both Republicans and Democrats condemned Kirk’s assassination as a tragedy and an assault on fundamental American freedoms. Prosecutors in Utah are pursuing the death penalty against Tyler James Robinson, the man accused of killing Kirk.

Mace acknowledged the political reality, expressing skepticism that her bill would receive a full House vote. Nevertheless, she vowed to “fight like hell” for the measure.

The symbolism matters. Naming public spaces after individuals or movements sends a message about what a society values. For years, Black Lives Matter Plaza stood as a monument to a particular political moment and ideology. Renaming it after Charlie Kirk would instead honor someone who died defending the principle of free expression that defines American liberty.

This is not complicated. Kirk was assassinated for his political views. That makes him a martyr for free speech. Whether Congress will act accordingly remains to be seen, but the moral case is clear.

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