The Ask an Expert series features Q + A’s with people who are experts in a particular field or who have a depth of knowledge around historic preservation. We ask experts a variety of short answer questions and ask for their advice to Black preservation projects and leaders.
Would you be willing to be featured as an expert? Send us an email here.
Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved in African American history and heritage consulting?
I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and History and a Master’s degree in Public History with a concentration in Historic Preservation. I have worked at the SC State Museum as an educator and work as a Weekend Tour Guide at Historic Columbia. I really got involved with African American history with my undergraduate thesis where I used my journey with my own genealogical research to discuss the benefits of using online genealogical sites and how to branch out to find your ancestors. That continued through grad school where my master’s thesis was on African Americans as an enslaved population under the Cherokee Nation and how Native people as enslavers compared to white enslavers. That background of looking for information that is not readily available gave me the creative thinking skills that are needed for a job like African American History Consultant.
Q: What are some of the unique challenges faced in preserving African American historical sites, and how do you approach these challenges?
A lot of the challenges that I have noticed are interconnected. Sometimes a group will have a structure that is important to African American history but the building could be falling apart. Why is it falling apart? Because no one has been able to keep up with maintaining the property. Why is no one maintaining the property? This question has two answers: 1) the place’s history may have been forgotten so no one knows the importance of the building and/or 2) the individual/group associated with the structure do not have the funds to maintain the structure. When groups call me at SCDAH, I always ask them to tell me about the structure, the history behind it, who interacted with it and then I ask them what their goal is with the site. Most of the time they just want to know what is out there for them: more history, grants to stabilize the building, or even other groups that are experiencing the same thing. Each project, each group, each structure is going to be different, it’s important to listen, assess, and then provide the resources most beneficial to them. For example, at SCDAH, I can direct them to the Historical Marker program, the National Register of Historic Places, grant opportunities for funding, tax incentives, and research guidance for the Reference Room, including genealogical resources.
Q: In your experience, how important is community engagement in the preservation of African American cultural heritage, and what methods have proven most effective in fostering this engagement?
Community engagement is where preservation starts. It’s similar to a ripple effect, all it takes is one passionate person or group of people to make the drop and their impact will grow. People get passionate when they see other people’s passion whether it be creating social media where they post updates or applying to conferences and speaking at events about their mission, engagement starts with the grassroots and it may take time but that small ripple can become a giant wave.
Q: Could you highlight a successful project you have been involved in that effectively preserved and promoted African American history? What made it successful?
In my role, I am also the liaison for the SC African American Heritage Commission. At the beginning of 2024, they announced a funding program where they would cover the cost of up to 20 state historical markers that pertained to African American heritage and culture. The program ran for about 4 months and as a result the Commission maxed out the program funding and were able to fund 20 markers. The purpose of the program was to give smaller groups, who were historically deterred because of the cost of a state marker, a chance to preserve history in their area. South Carolina in the coming months will now have 20 new markers covering African American history that, if not for this program, may not have had an opportunity to be presented. The Commission marketed this opportunity in their monthly newsletter and sent flyers to various organizations across the state but ultimately, this program was successful because of local communities and their passion for future generations to know and learn about the past. For history about a school, a church, a cemetery, or a tenement settlement, to not be lost and to be forever remembered.
Q: How do you think technology and digital tools are impacting the field of African American heritage preservation?
In an age where technology is making the world go round, it has made a major impact on African American heritage preservation. Many groups have a social media page or a website where they update the progress of their efforts. There are Google maps that can point out specific historic sites like the SCDAH Historical Marker map. There are digital collections at museums like IAAM that are accessible from a person’s personal computer. Technology is allowing people to connect to African American heritage in a way that for decades has been difficult to do and this is because along with advancements in technology, there has been an increase in wanting to know about Black history. People are curious about who came before them and how their actions impact the future and technology is allowing people to take that first step in learning that information.
Tell us what you think about African American Historic Preservation in South Carolina
If you were not able to attend the listening sessions across the state, or the virtual sessions, you can still provide feedback to the WeGOJA Foundation for the South Carolina Preservation Toolkit.
We opened a survey to capture your thoughts on priorities and needs. You can take the survey at this link https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA .
Your responses will help ensure the toolkit makes it easier for you to navigate the preservation process.
The Preservation Toolkit will serve as a one-stop shop, offering interactive resources and valuable information to local preservationists throughout the state. Through the Toolkit, the WeGOJA Foundation seeks to equip and empower local communities to meet their preservation goals.
Proposed components of the toolkit include:
A list of professionals to assist you with projects (historians, project leaders, grant writers, etc.)
A list of funding sources
Rules and standards of rehabilitation if your community offers those
How-to guides on acquiring official state historical markers and nominations for the National Register
An open forum to discuss best practices in preservation
Are we missing anything? Take the survey and let us know. https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA
Tell us what you think about African American Historic Preservation in South Carolina
If you were not able to attend the listening sessions across the state, or the virtual sessions, you can still provide feedback to the WeGOJA Foundation for the South Carolina Preservation Toolkit.
We opened a survey to capture your thoughts on priorities and needs. You can take the survey at this link https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA .
Your responses will help ensure the toolkit makes it easier for you to navigate the preservation process.
The Preservation Toolkit will serve as a one-stop shop, offering interactive resources and valuable information to local preservationists throughout the state. Through the Toolkit, the WeGOJA Foundation seeks to equip and empower local communities to meet their preservation goals.
Proposed components of the toolkit include:
A list of professionals to assist you with projects (historians, project leaders, grant writers, etc.)
A list of funding sources
Rules and standards of rehabilitation if your community offers those
How-to guides on acquiring official state historical markers and nominations for the National Register
An open forum to discuss best practices in preservation
Are we missing anything? Take the survey and let us know. https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA
Tell us what you think about African American Historic Preservation in South Carolina
If you were not able to attend the listening sessions across the state, or the virtual sessions, you can still provide feedback to the WeGOJA Foundation for the South Carolina Preservation Toolkit.
We opened a survey to capture your thoughts on priorities and needs. You can take the survey at this link https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA .
Your responses will help ensure the toolkit makes it easier for you to navigate the preservation process.
The Preservation Toolkit will serve as a one-stop shop, offering interactive resources and valuable information to local preservationists throughout the state. Through the Toolkit, the WeGOJA Foundation seeks to equip and empower local communities to meet their preservation goals.
Proposed components of the toolkit include:
A list of professionals to assist you with projects (historians, project leaders, grant writers, etc.)
A list of funding sources
Rules and standards of rehabilitation if your community offers those
How-to guides on acquiring official state historical markers and nominations for the National Register
An open forum to discuss best practices in preservation
Are we missing anything? Take the survey and let us know. https://forms.gle/dgSfZexZuf3j2U1EA
