Deputy Mayor Phillip Thompson had an emotional and personal explanation for why reminders of the country’s slavery past are still painful today for many African Americans.

"My father’s family, the Thompsons on both sides were enslaved on the plantation of Robert E. Lee’s father, Henry Lee, and this, and one of my ancestors is named Sara Lee," said Deputy Mayor Phillip Thompson. 

"It’s really hard for us to really feel fully part of this country that celebrates our enslavement with names like that on military bases all across this country," he added. 

He spoke as City Hall vows to renew a push to get the US Army to rename two streets inside Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jackson Way. Both generals served at the base before joining the Confederacy in the Civil War.

The city’s push follows almost two weeks of anti-racism protests here and across the nation touched off by the death of George Floyd. The movement already has led to the removal of Confederate statues and symbols in many states.

"On top of the racism that he stood for. So, no, of course anything named after him has to go in the city," said Mayor de Blasio.

For many years, the two streets inside Fort Hamilton got little attention. But after the protest by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, three years ago, several elected leaders demanded they be renamed. The Army refused. Now facing a tough re-election fight, a Brooklyn congresswoman says she is reintroducing legislation that would force a change.

“Those guys need to be relegated to the annals of history. We need to now move into a history that is inclusive of all our contributions," said Congresswoman Yvette Clarke .

Change may come even without Clarke’s legislation. On Wednesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee, which is controlled by Republicans, approved an amendment that would require any military asset, including streets, that honors a Confederate general to be renamed within three years.

But President Donald Trump has said he is strongly against renaming military bases named after Confederate generals.

As for renaming the streets inside Fort Hamilton, the Department of Defense refused comment.