Seminar I: Matters of Inclusion and Exclusion in Historic Preservation
Date: February 7, 2026
Time: 1p.m. – 3p.m.
Site: Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, MLK, Jr. National Historic Park
Speakers
Erica Avrami, Ph.D., James Marston Fitch Associate Professor of Historic Preservation, Columbia University
Augustus Wood, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Labor and Employment Relations, University of Illinois Urbana-Champa
K. Kennedy Whiters, k. kennedy Whiters, RA, Founder and Program Director, Black in Historic Preservation
Moderator: Nedra Deadwyler, Nedra Deadwyler Consulting
Description: What we encounter in the built environment reflects the collective stories we tell about ourselves and our past. Historic preservation codifies that storytelling through public policies, governance, and professional practices that protect places of significance. But for many reasons, these systems can favor some narratives and publics over others. This program will highlight case studies from New York City and Atlanta-focused perspectives to explore how we can ask different questions of the preservation enterprise to advance more just representation and promote more inclusive narratives.
