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Philly misspelled Patti LaBelle’s name on her honorary street

The Philadelphia Streets Department misspelled LaBelle’s name in the signs installed on Broad between Locust and Spruce streets.

Traffic worker Elmer Heard with the Philadelphia Streets Department installs a new sign for Patti LaBelle Way at Broad and Spruce Streets July 2, 2019, before ceremonies honoring Patti LaBelle with the renaming of the block of Broad Street between Spruce and Locust Streets after her.
Traffic worker Elmer Heard with the Philadelphia Streets Department installs a new sign for Patti LaBelle Way at Broad and Spruce Streets July 2, 2019, before ceremonies honoring Patti LaBelle with the renaming of the block of Broad Street between Spruce and Locust Streets after her.Read moreTOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
    by Bethany Ao
    Published 

This week, the legendary soul singer Patti LaBelle was honored with her own Philly street. The section of Broad Street between Spruce and Locust Streets was renamed Patti LaBelle Way in a ceremony that celebrated the singer, who hails from Southwest Philly.

But the Streets Department misspelled LaBelle’s name in the signs it installed at the intersection, leaving out the capital B in her last name. According to Deana Gamble, the communications director for the city, the Streets Department is aware of the error and plans on installing signs with the correct spelling next week. (The sign that LaBelle autographed and held up at the ceremony featured the correct spelling.)

LaBelle first rose to prominence as a solo artist and the leader of disco trio LaBelle. Her career, which spans five decades, has branched out into humanitarian efforts — notably as an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate — and as a celebrity chef. She’s written several cookbooks and even hosted her own show on the Cooking Channel.

LaBelle joined the ranks of other public figures with Philly ties with their own streets, including Boyz II Men and Muhammad Ali, although Ali wasn’t originally from Philly.