Race and the Built Environment: Inclusive Preservation

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Issues in Preservation Policy 

"This volume evolved from a symposium in February 2019 that centered on questions of preservation and social inclusion. The symposium examined how multiple publics are—or are not—represented in heritage decision-making, geographies, and policy structures. It follows a previous symposium and publication, Preservation and the New Data Landscape, which examined how the preservation enterprise is engaging, shaping, learning from, and capitalizing on the new landscape of urban data to forge evidence-based research, co-produce knowledge with communities, and inform policy agendas. A key theme of this previous inquiry was the need for preservation to ask better questions in order to tell better stories, “stories that represent the diversity of our communities, stories that redress spatial and social inequities, and stories that reflect our collective agency in promoting a sustainable environment.”

To prompt this subsequent inquiry, we asked participants to consider the following questions: 

  • How are diverse narratives and communities being represented or excluded through preservation? 
  • Who is participating in preservation processes, and how can preservation decision-making better engage multiple publics?
  • What are the effects of preservation policies and processes on communities?"

[Closing of the Introduction

Issues in Preservation Policy is freely accessible digitally through Columbia's GSAPP website. 

National Trust for Historic Preservation: When Does Preservation Become Social Justice?

"This summer Preservation Leadership Forum will publish a series of blog posts that respond to the question: When does Historic Preservation Become Social Justice? We hope that these posts will push readers to think broadly about our work to save historic places and how it connects to intersectionality and inclusion."

[Introduction to blog series]

Inclusive Historian's Handbook

"This dynamic reference source supports inclusive and equity-focused historical work in public settings by:

  • Sharing a knowledge base that invites more people to engage in history projects.
  • Providing concrete examples of how to make history work more relevant.
  • Centering equity, inclusivity, diversity, and public service.
  • Offering accessible windows into the many ways public historians work."

"The Handbook provides easily accessible information for historians working in multiple contexts. Authored by field experts, the entries combine practical advice with critical reflections and telling examples. Because it is a multi-authored project, it does not speak with a single, authoritative voice. Rather, authors offer their perspectives and share ideas and recommendations drawn from experiences in the field."

"The Handbook is for individuals and groups engaged in historical work in a wide range of settings—not just paid professionals or academic scholars. It is intended to provide community groups, educators, museum professionals (paid and unpaid), students, scholars, activists, historical societies, preservationists, archivists, and others with easy-to-find information that is directly applicable to inclusive history practice. We hope that the content is accessible to all people who are doing historical work, including those who may not identify as historians."

[Excerpt from the Inclusive Historian's Handbook: https://inclusivehistorian.com/about/]

National Trust for Historic Preservation: Preservation and Inclusion

"Today’s preservation movement recognizes the need for a more complete, inclusive representation of communities across the nation, which are increasingly socio-economically, racially, ethnically, culturally, and generationally diverse. Preservation efforts must prioritize inclusion in order to tell an accurate and comprehensive story—and to remain relevant. This work of examining and changing preservation practice, from storytelling to community engagement, will lead to a more inclusive preservation program."

Society for Architectural Historians Statement on The Removal of Monuments to the Confederacy from Public Spaces

"The Society of Architectural Historians supports and encourages the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces. In its eighty-year history, SAH has never before advocated for the direct removal of any historical resource, let alone listed monuments..."

[Excerpt from the statement]

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

"The changing demographics of America pose opportunities as well as challenges for the national historic preservation program. The diversity of cultures in our country shape and enrich the American experience, and the federal government can continue to encourage wider involvement and representation in determining what historic sites are worthy of recognition and preservation; how history and cultural heritage should be valued, interpreted, and preserved; and how we can ensure the American public as a whole can take advantage of the programs and tools created under the National Historic Preservation Act. The ACHP is pursuing efforts in all aspects of its work to build a more inclusive preservation program."

[From Introduction

American Alliance of Museums: Racism, Unrest, and the Role of the Museum Field

"On June 3, 2020, attendees of the AAM Virtual Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo came together to hear from Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Lori Fogarty on the museum field’s role in combating racism. In the heat of the country’s reckoning with police killings of Black people, the conversation was an opportunity to come together as a community and listen to these powerful voices discuss how we can rebuild our field and our society for the better."

[Includes link to the recording of Annual Meeting on Youtube with a transcript.

Delaware Nation Historic Preservation Office

"The Historic Preservation Office of the Delaware Nation is committed to the preservation and protection of our history. Through Section 106 reviews, consultation, and monitoring, we can protect our lands of tribal interest from physical destruction and or damage, our sacred sites such as cemeteries and ceremonial locations, and the flora and fauna of historic importance to our tribe. Our office focuses on the historic oversight of 18 states, 6 of which our oversight encompasses the entire state while we oversee specific counties in the remaining 12 states. Our purpose is to protect archaeological sites which might contain burials and associated funerary objects."

[From Introduction] 

These are suggested resources, not a complete list.

This list, in part, came from a LibGuide created by Roger Williams University