Residents of Rochester, New York are looking to put some respect on Frederick Douglass's name.

A petition to rename the city's airport after the renowned abolitionist has gone viral, gathering more than 3000 signatures in the past 24 hours. Created by resident Richard Glaser and directed at Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, the petition argues that the New York airport should be renamed as Frederick Douglass International Airport to honor the author and civil rights leader. The airport already has a terminal that is named for Douglass, as well as one named for Susan B. Anthony.

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Douglass has strong ties to Rochester: according to the petition, he lived in the city for 25 years, where he ran and published The North Star — a prominent anti-slavery newspaper — and was laid to rest in the city after his death in 1895.

Glaser told the local publication RochesterFirst.com that he started the petition to help contribute to racial equity in Rochester, sharing, "Symbols are very important. Racial equity is the ball and chain we carry around our ankle."

"Frederick Douglass is arguably among the greatest historical figures for all the reasons that someone might win a Nobel Prize," he told the publication. "He really enshrines the values that were put out there by the Founding Fathers."

He added: "We were blessed with Douglass's presence in our community. People around the world know him, every school kid learns about Frederick Douglass. It’s time to get that symbolic recognition."