Overview:
The community of College Park in Dallas, Texas has been renamed Fahim J. Minkah Park in honor of Fahim Jabar Minkah, a member of the original Black Panther Party and founder of African-American Men Against Narcotics (AAMAN). The name change, which was three years in the making, was approved unanimously by the City Council and will be recognized as a testament to Minkah's dedication to serving his community and leaving a positive mark on history.
The late Fahim Jabar Minkah is getting his due. After three years of denials, the family, friends, and community that loved Fahim finally won the right to officially change the name of [the former] College Park to Fahim J. Minkah Park.
Since 2022, the Community Movement Builders Organization has petitioned the City to change the name of the park located at 33000 Highland Woods. Established in 1962, the 17.2-acre park is only five minutes away from Southern Skates, the skating rink that Fahim J. Minkah founded.
Related: Dallas activists push to rename College Park after Black Panther leader
Minkah was a member of the original Black Panther Party, which had a chapter in Texas. His entire life was dedicated to serving others, whether as a track coach or organizing and participating in a nightly patrol to give peace to the families of his community. His organization, African-American Men Against Narcotics (AAMAN), gained national prominence as drug fighters. Yet, one of his most significant achievements was founding Southern Skates on East Ledbetter Drive.
Before it turned into a skating rink to keep children off the streets, the vacant lot was where drugs riddled the community back in the 1970s and 1980s. So, to support his community, he worked tirelessly with donations to create Southern Skates. A haven for the community to ensure children had a safe space away from the chaos and violence that they suffered through every night.
And now, the Fahim J. Minkah legacy will forever live on after the Dallas City Council unanimously voted to change the name.
Yefeuh Balogun, Erick Khafre, and Talissa Shamsid-Deened were the organizers who advocated for this change. Marvin Crenshaw and Charles Beasley were inspired to request a name change. The trio was able to file for the name change under the Community Movement Builders.
The Dallas Weekly contacted Yafeuh Balogun, an active advocate and mentee of Minkah, for his comments on this historic moment for South Dallas. I asked him about the historical significance of this name change and what it meant to the community and Balogun. He replied, “It shows that an individual can be a family man and can be respected. Ultimately, it can make marks in people’s lives beyond his death and see that he was an important individual.”
Balogun also stated his feelings about the vote: “It was unanimous, and we’re grateful for that as well.” He then encouraged young people, “Never give up on anything that you believe in.”
This name change comes at a time when the federal government is doing everything it can to erase Black history and the contributions that Black Americans have made to American history. Yet, activists like Fahim J. Minkah worked tirelessly to leave a positive mark on their community. In turn, that grateful community has now cemented his legacy.
And the advocacy from organizations like Community Movement Builders reminds us that our legacies shall live on regardless of who wants to recognize them.
Zahiyah Carter is a Gen Z writer based in Dallas. Her work focuses on topics that matter most to young people, from social issues and pop culture to technology and beyond.
