Dallas Council Unanimously Renames Historic Bridge for Civil Rights Advocate Pettis Norman
Dallas is a city in Dallas County, Texas. The Dallas City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to rename the historic Houston Street bridge after former Cowboys player and civil rights advocate Pettis Norman, the Dallas Cowboys' official site reported on October 16.
The bridge, a landmark for more than 100 years, connects downtown Dallas to districts such as Oak Cliff. Norman caught 124 passes and scored 14 touchdowns as a tight end during nine years in Dallas from 1962 to 1970, then played three more years with the San Diego Chargers before retiring after the 1973 season. He died in 2025 at age 86.
Norman's legacy is known more for his work off the field, particularly his efforts to bring equality into the Cowboys' locker room in the 1960s and to the city of Dallas. After his career, he became a local business leader in banking, restaurants and real estate, served in the National Guard, and was once asked by President Lyndon B. Johnson to fly to Washington, D.C., as a peace leader during the riots following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. At the council meeting, supporters of the renaming included Steelers Hall of Fame defensive lineman "Mean" Joe Greene and longtime Cowboys radio announcer Brad Sham.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：达拉斯市政厅。图片来源：Historic American Buildings Survey，Wikimedia Commons，公共领域。Photo: Dallas City Hall. Image: Historic American Buildings Survey, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
