Memphis News: Memphis Renames Homer Street for Jerry “The King” Lawler, Honoring a Wrestling Legacy
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
Illustration.
By Memphis News with a Purpose Staff Coverage beat: Arts & Culture
Direct Answer
Memphis has renamed Homer Street between Given and Rhea avenues near Treadwell in honor of Jerry “The King” Lawler, the Memphis wrestling legend and longtime ambassador for the city. The street-renaming ceremony took place Thursday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m.; this Aug. 21 report makes clear that the event has already occurred.
The honor follows a city resolution pushed by Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren and approved in early June. Action News 5 described Lawler as one of Memphis’ “three kings” and recognized his lasting influence on the city’s wrestling culture and public identity.
What Memphis Honored
The renamed section of Homer Street is located near the Treadwell community, running between Given Avenue and Rhea Avenue. It is a relatively short stretch of roadway, but the name carries a broad cultural message: Memphis remembers the people who helped shape its story.
Jerry “The King” Lawler is widely known for his decades-long career in professional wrestling. Long before many modern sports-entertainment personalities became nationally recognized, Lawler helped make Memphis a meaningful stop on the wrestling map.
His career included wrestling, commentary, promotion, and public appearances. More than a performer, Lawler became part of Memphis’ cultural vocabulary. His name is connected with the city’s long tradition of bold personalities, live entertainment, neighborhood loyalty, and a willingness to celebrate people who bring energy to the Bluff City.
Action News 5 also reported that Lawler continues recovering from a stroke he suffered in September 2025. In a December interview cited by the station, Lawler said he was not ruling out one more match.
That detail adds a human dimension to the street honor. Public recognition often looks backward at a person’s achievements, but it can also express gratitude for the person who is still present and still connected to the community.
A Civic Honor Rooted in Memphis History
Dr. Jeff Warren’s resolution
Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren pushed for the street naming through a Memphis City Council resolution approved in early June. According to Action News 5, Warren described Lawler as one of Memphis’ “three kings” and a longtime ambassador for the city.
The decision reflects how local government can preserve community memory. A street name is practical, but it is also symbolic. It places a person’s name into the daily rhythm of a neighborhood, where residents, school families, workers, and visitors encounter it as part of ordinary life.
That kind of honor should be approached with both appreciation and humility. Romans 13:7 teaches Christians to “give honor to whom honor is due.” The verse does not require us to pretend that any person is perfect. Instead, it calls us to practice gratitude, respect, and appropriate recognition.
Why this matters beyond wrestling
Some Memphians will view the renaming primarily through the lens of wrestling. Others may see it as a broader acknowledgment of local identity and entertainment history.
Both perspectives deserve a place in the conversation.
Wrestling fans understand Lawler’s significance through matches, rivalries, interviews, and the atmosphere of Memphis wrestling. Residents who are less familiar with the sport may know him as a recognizable Memphis personality who represented the city across generations.
The balance is important. A civic honor does not mean every resident shares the same memories or opinions. It means the city has chosen to recognize a particular contribution to its public story.
A memorable statement for this moment is simple:
A street name can become a city’s way of saying, “We remember the work that helped make us who we are.”
“Public honors should invite the whole city into a shared memory.” : Memphis News with a Purpose
Honoring Without Exaggerating
Christian gratitude should be truthful. We can celebrate a person’s accomplishments without overstating them, and we can acknowledge a public legacy without turning a human being into a flawless symbol.
That is especially relevant when discussing well-known figures. Public personalities often have long careers, complicated histories, and different effects on different audiences. A balanced news report should neither diminish a person’s contribution nor make claims that the available reporting does not establish.
For this story, the confirmed facts are clear:
Memphis renamed part of Homer Street in Lawler’s honor.
The section runs between Given and Rhea avenues near Treadwell.
Dr. Jeff Warren advanced the resolution.
The City Council approved the resolution in early June.
Action News 5 reported the ceremony for Aug. 20 at 1 p.m.
The Aug. 21 Action News 5 video reports on the completed street renaming.
Action News 5 identifies Lawler as a Memphis wrestling legend and city ambassador.
We should be careful not to add unsupported claims about who attended the ceremony or what each person said. Accuracy is a form of neighbor-love. It protects the public from confusion and honors the people whose names appear in the news.
The Christian Takeaway
Gratitude can be a form of stewardship
Jesus Christ teaches His followers to live with humility, gratitude, and love of neighbor. Remembering a local legend can become more than nostalgia when it helps us recognize the work, creativity, discipline, and perseverance that have contributed to Memphis.
Lawler’s career also invites reflection on endurance. The Action News 5 report notes his ongoing recovery from a stroke and his continued connection to wrestling. Recovery stories remind us that a person’s value is not limited to a single achievement or season of public success.
Romans 13:7 gives us a practical instruction:
“Give honor to everyone… respect to the king.” : Romans 13:7
For Christians, honoring someone does not mean worshiping celebrity. Worship belongs to God alone. Honoring a neighbor means recognizing a meaningful contribution while remembering that every person remains made in God’s image and in need of grace.
Romans 12:10 reminds us to “outdo one another in showing honor.”
Memory can build bridges
Memphis history includes sports, music, civil rights, business, education, faith, and neighborhood leadership. Each story is part of a larger city narrative.
The best public memorials do not close the door on history. They open a door for conversation. Parents can explain who Lawler was. Wrestling fans can share memories. Teachers can discuss how popular culture becomes local history. Neighbors can talk about what it means for a city to honor someone whose work reached beyond one arena.
How to Pray/Engage
Memphians can respond to this moment in several constructive ways:
Pray for Jerry Lawler’s continued recovery. Ask God to give him strength, peace, and support in the days ahead.
Learn from a longtime Memphis resident. Ask a parent, grandparent, neighbor, or wrestling fan what Memphis wrestling meant to them.
Visit local history responsibly. Encourage children to research Memphis’ entertainment and sports traditions using reliable sources.
Speak with gratitude and accuracy. Share the confirmed story without adding rumors or unverified attendance claims.
Honor people who serve quietly. Consider thanking a teacher, coach, pastor, first responder, or community volunteer whose name may never appear on a street sign.
Readers interested in other Memphis stories about community identity can explore our coverage of Chelsea Wall murals and building Memphis together and Lucy J’s Bakery at Crosstown Concourse.
Peacemaker’s Perspective
A public honor can become divisive if people treat it as a contest over whose memories matter. It can become constructive when people make room for more than one perspective.
A peacemaker does not demand that every Memphian share the same level of interest in wrestling. A peacemaker also does not dismiss the deep affection many residents have for Lawler and the role he played in Memphis entertainment.
The wise response is to hold both truths together:
Jerry “The King” Lawler made a significant contribution to Memphis wrestling and local culture.
Memphians may reasonably have different opinions about public honors and how city history should be remembered.
That balance allows civic gratitude without unnecessary conflict. It also reminds us that honoring the past should help strengthen the future.
“Legacy is not only what a city remembers; it is what the next generation learns to build.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What street was renamed for Jerry “The King” Lawler?
Memphis renamed the portion of Homer Street between Given Avenue and Rhea Avenue near Treadwell in Lawler’s honor.
Who is Jerry “The King” Lawler?
Jerry Lawler is a Memphis wrestling legend known for his decades-long career as a professional wrestler, commentator, promoter, and public figure. Action News 5 also described him as a longtime ambassador for Memphis.
Why is the renaming significant?
The renaming recognizes Lawler’s lasting influence on Memphis wrestling and his role in the city’s broader entertainment identity. It also preserves a piece of local history in a place residents encounter every day.
How can families learn more about Jerry Lawler and Memphis wrestling?
Families can begin by discussing local memories with older relatives and longtime wrestling fans, then compare those memories with reporting from established Memphis news organizations and reliable historical sources. Parents can also use the story to teach children how sports, entertainment, and civic life can shape a city’s identity.
Source Attribution
This report is based on Action News 5’s Aug. 20 article, “City to honor Jerry ‘King’ Lawler with Memphis street renaming”, and its Aug. 21 video report, “‘The King’ of Homer Street: Memphis renames street near Treadwell after wrestling legend”.
A Practical Next Step
Take five minutes today to tell a child or younger family member one accurate story about the Memphis person, place, or tradition that shaped your own life. Then ask what kind of legacy they hope to leave in their neighborhood.
For more Memphis reporting through a Christian, balanced, and peacemaking perspective, visit Memphis News with a Purpose.
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