ST. CLOUD, Fla. — The City of St. Cloud votes tonight on whether to change the name of a historic subdivision that, for over a century, has gone by the name of the “Colored Quarter.”

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Founded in 1909, the plot of land was originally intended to serve as a retirement community for Civil War veterans. A section of this plot had been deliberately set aside as a place for black residents to live outside of city limits as, at the time, it was still commonplace for white and black people to live separately. It was given the official name “The Seminole Land and Investment Co. Plat of Colored Quarter” on October 8, 1910.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the term “colored” was adopted by emancipated slaves “as a term of racial pride after the end of the American Civil War." Over time, the word “Negro” was more widely used and, according to LeHigh University’s Amardeep Singh, “was considered a term of respect when used by others.”

Writer and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois even argued that “Negro” was a “much better and more logical” term of address “than ‘African’ or ‘colored’ or any of the various hyphenated circumlocutions,” such as African-American.

It was the prevalent use of the word “colored” during the Jim Crow era that cemented its place as an offensive term. Signs that read such things as “Colored Waiting Room” or “For Colored Passengers” were commonplace throughout the South, dividing populations and becoming a sort of dog whistle for segregation practices.

The term then fell out of favor as black people and major institutions began adopting Du Bois’s approach and using the word “Negro.” A 2014 study by NPR found that the phrase “colored people” peaked in 1970 before steadily declining throughout the rest of the century. In 1991, the use of the phrase “people of color” surpassed it and has been on the rise ever since.

St. Cloud’s decision to rename the “Colored Quarter” reflects this linguistic trend by eliminating an antiquated and now-offensive term.

The change was championed by Council Member Jennifer A. Paul who, following a July 2025 meeting of the St. Cloud City Council, posted on social media that the 1910 Colored Quarter plot map’s “depiction of historical injustices is a matter of significant concern.”

“I recognize that this historical document represents an unacceptable chapter in our community and should have been updated years ago,” Paul wrote in a July 11 post on Facebook. “Simply correcting records is insufficient; we must actively engage in a process of reconciliation and strive for a more equitable present and future.”

The effort was first introduced at a September 11, 2025 council meeting as Ordinance No. 2025-68, wherein “the City of St. Cloud, Florida ... [would rename] the Seminole Land & Investment Co. Plat of Colored Quarter to the Seminole Land & Investment Company Plat of East Quarter.”

The final vote will take place tonight at 6:30 PM at the next City Council meeting.

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