A brand-new sign reading "MSG Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard" was unveiled to cheers as the community welcomed a new street name for a man many knew and loved.
"We take great pride in the fact that one of our own, somebody who grew up here in East End in Magnolia Park, is being recognized with a sign that all of us will be able to see for generations to come," Joe Ramirez, Jr. said.
Ramirez enlisted in the military at 18 years old and was deployed to serve in the Korean War, where he was shot and taken captive as a prisoner of war for three years. He eventually returned home to Houston and continued a life of service, focusing this time instead on his community.
He was also the recipient of a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his military service. Raimrez died in 2020 at the age of 89.
On May 27, the Houston City Council voted unanimously to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard to MSG Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard. Renaming the street has been a topic of discussion ever since sexual abuse allegations against Chavez emerged in March. Ramirez was selected for the honor of the newly renamed boulevard.
PREVIOUS REPORT: Houston City Council votes to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard
"I would like to acknowledge Master Sgt. Ramirez, whom I had the honor of visiting and spending time with," Houston Mayor John Whitmire said during the council meeting in May. "[He's] not only a community hero. He's a national hero."
"I'm so glad everybody's going to get to know his story, learn more about him, and just know what a great man he was for his family and community," Houston City Councilmember Joaquin Martinez said.