Story of U.S. city that almost officially renamed to 'Nairobi'

Once upon a time, a city in California, U.S. had a bold idea to take up the name Nairobi

This is the story of how a piece of Kenyan identity nearly reshaped a city thousands of miles away.

Historical Background

The city now known as East Palo Alto was originally inhabited by the Costanoan/Ohlone Native Americans. 

By the mid-20th century, East Palo Alto had become a predominantly African American community due to migration patterns following World War II.

Many African Americans sought housing opportunities in areas that were less restrictive than neighbouring communities.

For much of its early history, East Palo Alto was an unincorporated area governed by San Mateo County. It wasn't until 1983 that it officially became a city. 

The city faced significant socio-economic struggles, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, which included high crime rates and economic decline.

The Nairobi Movement

The Nairobi Movement emerged in the late 1960s as part of a broader Black Power movement across America. At the time there was a wave of African Americans seeking to reconnect with their African roots.

Local black leaders sought to change East Palo Alto's name to "Nairobi" in 1968 as a symbolic gesture to rise above the community's historical struggles with segregation and inequality. 

This initiative aimed to foster a new identity that reflected empowerment and unity within the African American community.

The Nairobi Shopping Center was established as a hub for local businesses, including soul food restaurants and cultural organisations. 

It represented a vibrant Afrocentric space designed to promote economic independence and cultural pride among residents. 

The slogan "Uhuru Na Umoja," meaning "Freedom and Unity," summed up the movement's spirit.

There was also a Nairobi College which had satellite campuses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the Nairobi Day School for children of colour.

“Nairobi College comes out of the unmet needs of peoples of colour for education but is open to all students who find it a viable educational alternative,” John Egerton wrote in his book New Colleges for New Students.

Since it opened in 1969, Nairobi has changed rapidly in several ways, but its basic objective is the same: to develop Black leadership in and for a Black community. Its intent is to provide two years of academic training and a whole lifetime of psychological reeducation for Black citizens of East Palo Alto, California, a low-income community separated by a freeway from its opulent neighbours In San Mateo County, south of San Francisco.

Campaign for Name Change

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the Nairobi Movement, efforts to officially rename East Palo Alto were unsuccessful. 

A vote held in 1968 did not achieve enough support for the name change. 

The campaign highlighted deep-seated issues within the community regarding identity and representation but ultimately did not alter the city's official name. The leaders lost the referendum held to vote for the name change.

Decline of Nairobi-Branded Entities

By the late 1970s, the Nairobi Shopping Center began to decline due to cuts in state and federal funding.

The community faced increasing challenges from drug-related violence, which peaked in the early 1990s when East Palo Alto gained notoriety as one of America's most dangerous cities. 

The once-thriving Nairobi Shopping Center, built in 1957, became a symbol of East Palo Alto's deterioration during the 1980s, as drug addicts and the homeless occupied vacated storefronts. The remains of the centre were finally demolished in 1989.

In 2019, Sand Hill Property Company, the largest residential property owner in East Palo Alto, bought the approximately six-acre property for an estimated $42 million.

Modern Developments

In recent years, East Palo Alto has undergone a significant transformation from being considered as the U.S. murder capital in the 1990s to a safer community.

As of 2024, the city has seen a remarkable decline in violent crime, achieving zero homicides in 2023 for the first time in its history. 

With rising property values in Silicon Valley, new businesses have emerged, and there has been an influx of diverse populations including Hispanic and Pacific Islander communities.

This demographic shift has altered the socio-economic landscape of East Palo Alto while also prompting discussions about preserving its historical identity.