The African American Museum in Philadelphia will host an enlightening discussion on Saturday, July 20, titled, “Preserving Our Stories.”
The discussion will explore the state of historic preservation, with a distinct focus on being more inclusive in preserving the American narrative.
The discussion contributors include Dr. Amber N. Wiley, a renowned Presidential Associate Professor in Historic Preservation and the Matt and Erika Nord Director of the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites (CPCRS); Jasmine Clark, Digital Scholarship Librarian at Temple University; and Maya L. Thomas, Project Director of the Dox Thrash House Project.
Wiley has dedicated her professional career to advancing the history and narrative of design and preservation in Black communities, as well as advocating for theoretically rigorous, thoughtful, and inclusive expansions of preservation policy and practice, and will share her insights.
Clark’s primary research areas are accessibility and metadata in emerging technology and emerging technology centers. She is leading The Virtual Blockson, a project to recreate and gamify the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection in virtual reality to teach high school students primary literacy skills.
Thomas is a dedicated advocate and leader in historic preservation, Black activism, design justice, and anti-gentrification initiatives. As Project Director of the Dox Thrash House Project, she focuses on integrating art into public spaces to preserve cultural heritage and promote social equity. Thomas advocates for the preservation of public land and facilities inclusive design processes that honor local history while addressing gentrification pressures.
Historic preservation has a compelling history that extends back to 1872 when Yellowstone National Park was designated. Since then, preservation efforts have included protecting historic places, including land and properties with historical significance.
While nearly 2 million places have been deemed worthy of preservation, many places with historical African American significance were long excluded from consideration.
The discussion will have an essential emphasis on the variety of ways Dox Thrash’s legacy is being preserved, along with other remarkable preservation projects.
It will be moderated by DeJay Duckett, Vice President of Curatorial Services at the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
The “Preserving Our Stories” discussion at the African American Museum in Philadelphia will take place Saturday, July 20 from 3 PM to 5 PM.
To secure your seat at the important discussion, visit the African American Museum in Philadelphia.
