South Carolina African American HIstoric Preservation Terminology

An independent federal agency that “promotes the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of the nation’s diverse historic resources and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation
policy.”

Communities established after the Civil War by formerly enslaved people who purchased what was then inexpensive land in order to create safe and self-sustaining communities. In the SC lowcountry, these communities were based in Gullah language and traditions, and shared education, medical services, business, faith, and farming resources amongst themselves. These communities existed across South Carolina, but today those in the lowcountry surrounding Charleston have the most organized advocacy efforts, due to attempted land grabs and encroachment by development. The settlements’ historical and ancestral land has become extremely sought after in the urban spread and ever increasing gentrification of the city. Also related to Heir’s property – see definition for Heir’s property.

A human-made object, or physical thing, with historical or cultural value. Artifacts make up what historians call more broadly “material culture”: the relationship between people and our things, and how those material objects impact our culture.

The study of people, culture, society, and the physical environment through material remains.

A SC law that enables local governments to offer a special tax incentive on rehabilitated historic buildings. The Bailey Bill enables a rehabilitated historic property to be assessed at its pre-rehabilitation fair market tax value (rather than the updated, rehabilitated tax value) for 20 years. Local governments set the minimum expenditure requirements, what properties qualify, and the approval process (which typically includes an eligibility and pre-approval process before work is begun).

A joint federal-state program that certifies local governments that meet certain criteria and are committed to historic preservation in their local communities. To be certified, local governments must have a historic preservation commission, enforce preservation laws (usually an ordinance), maintain a survey of local historic resources, and facilitate public participation in preservation. Local governments in turn are eligible for specific federal grants, receive technical assistance, and more. In South Carolina, the CLG program is administered by the SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office) in partnership with the National Park Service.

A certificate issued by a Commission (typically a city/county historic preservation commission, a design/review board, etc) that approves and authorizes plans for alteration, construction, demolition or relocation of a historic property, structure, or site. This typically happens within a designated historic district, where any alterations must go through the review and approval process set by the local preservation commission that governs it.

A historically significant landscape where humans have interacted with the physical environment. Cultural landscapes are usually seen as larger areas that include both human developments (buildings, roads, old house sites, fences) and the natural environment itself (such as earthforms, trees, plains, water bodies). Examples include places such as plantations, battlefields, etc. NPS defines cultural landscape as “a geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated with a historic event, activity, or person, or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.”

Standards of appropriate preservation actions that guide and/or govern the preservation of the historic and architectural character of a building, structure, object, or site. These guidelines are often set by the county or city government for each region.

The destruction of a building through abandonment or lack of maintenance.

Black public schools that were built by the state of South Carolina in order to prove the state had compiled with “separate but equal” mandates. They did this to maintain educational segregation and resist integration as a direct response to the SC-based Briggs vs Elliot case, which was suing for complete desegregation. The state built 700 schools during the 1950s, and most were open for 20 years or less before forced integration. Despite the racist and unjust intention behind equalization schools, many communities in SC received their first Black public high school, which enabled more access to education and fostered a strong community between teachers, students, and alumni.

What historic preservationists call a historic resource or site that is still standing, existing, or otherwise visible.

A 20% income tax credit for people/organizations who rehabilitate historic, income-producing buildings listed in or eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Family history is often called genealogy. Genealogy is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. It is important to include community history in the definition of genealogy as well.

The process of neighborhood change that occurs when wealthier residents and developments move into a neighborhood which causes cultural change, discrimination against former residents, and displacement of typically low-income and minority communities. Although viewed by some as investment in an area, gentrification causes a demographic, economic, physical, and environmental shift that makes working class people and communities of color unable to afford to live in their established neighborhood. Gentrification also contributes to erasure of history through the loss of historical structures and the loss of the historical memory and fabric of a community.

Family-owned land that is inherited and jointly owned by the descendants of a deceased person without documented ownership (a clear title, will, or deed). This can be the result of land not being accounted for in estate planning or when estate issues are unresolved. Heir’s property becomes complex due to joint ownership between all descendants, becoming ineligible for federal grants, and becoming vulnerable to being forced to sell to third-parties. Heir’s property issues disproportionately impacts minorities, particularly African Americans in the South, where land loss and forfeiture of Black family land is tied to the long history of unjust practices during the 20th century.

Historic preservation is a movement and field of study, as well as a specific set of processes, which identifies, protects, and preserves historic resources. Historic resources most commonly include historically significant buildings and sites, but can also include landscapes, no longer existing spaces, artifacts, cemeteries, entire neighborhoods or towns, and more.

A large metal sign on a post placed at a historical site, structure, or location of importance that gives a short description of the historical significance of that place.

A report providing documentary, graphic, and physical information about a property’s history and existing condition and outlining appropriate treatment and scope of work for repair, changes, and ongoing maintenance.

An defined area, commonly a neighborhood or local community, in which there are many historic structures with a high degree of historical, cultural, architectural, or archaeological significance and integrity. Most historic districts have defined boundaries and specific ordinances that protect the historic properties within them. You can also list historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places, which makes them a nationally recognized and protected historic district.

“A district, site, building, structure or object significant in American history, architecture, engineering, archeology or culture at the national, State, or local level.” (National Park Service)

National Park Service program that documents significant architectural resources through measured drawings, photographs, and written histories housed at the Library of Congress.There is also the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), which is the same for engineering resources; and the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS), which is the same for landscape resources.

The process of systematically identifying, researching, photographing and documenting historical resources within a defined geographic area.

Preservation easements are “a voluntary legal agreement, typically in the form of a deed, which permanently protects a significant historic property” (NPS). An easement placed on a property ensures that the current owner and any future owners cannot destroy the historical integrity of the property, which is enforced by the organization (usually a preservation non-profit or even a public agency) to which the easement is “granted.” Easements are an agreement where a preservation organization has a right to use a historic property without acquiring ownership of the property.

Covenants are “a formal agreement between the State Historic Preservation Office and the owner of a historic property in which the owner agrees to ensure the maintenance and preservation of the architectural and historical characteristics that qualify the property as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.” Covenants differ slightly from easements in that covenants give the preservation organization an interest in the land.

The importance of a historic site or structure to a community, state, or nation. Why, how, and when a place has historical, cultural, architectural, or archaeological importance to a community.

How much of its original historical and architectural character a historic site or structure has retained. This is defined by the National Register as the retention of location, design, setting, workmanship, materials, feeling, or association for a property to convey its historic significance.

A historic resource that does not have a physical presence today, but is important to the culture and history of a place, such as past people or events, no longer existing structures, community traditions, customs, systems, ideas, and values. A term most commonly used in the National and State Park Service systems, but with broader applications across historic preservation and interpretation field

A series of steps, a process, or actions taken to prevent further and ongoing damage to a historic site, whether structural, architectural, or environmental.

The official list of historic places and spaces worthy of preservation across the nation. Administered by the National Park Service. It is an in-depth process to apply and list a historic site on the National Register, but enables a historic site to receive benefits and be eligible for federal grants.

“The established criteria for evaluating the eligibility of properties for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.” (National Park Service). This list of criteria is the first requirement to meet in order to submit an application for a historic site to be listed on the National Register.

A nation-wide non-profit organization that is often considered a leader in the historic preservation field, and offers a robust preservation grant funding program as well as many resources. Their African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is the largest national African American historic preservation effort, and offers several grants specifically dedicated to Black preservation projects.

A government agency within the US Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, monuments, and other recreational properties. NPS manages many of the federal preservation programs, such as the National Register of Historic Places, allocates federal grant funding for preservation projects, and sets standards for preservation work (Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties). NPS offers many useful bulletins, guides, and resources for people doing historic preservation.

Historic spaces that illustrate the heritage of the United States and have been designated as official National Historic Landmarks with an extensive application, survey, and approval process through the National Park Service. NHL’s can be buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts but must have national historical significance that is important to telling the story of the nation. (This differs from the National Register of Historic Places, which can be places of national significance, but also state and local significance).

A federal law enacted in 1966 to protect historic resources through identification, evaluation, and preservation. The act sets regulations, provides for federally supported programs, such as the National Register of Historic Places and others, and designates federal funding for preservation projects.

What historic preservationists call a no longer standing or visibly existing historic resource or site.

An oral history is a collaborative conversation between a narrator and an interviewer. The narrator or storyteller is given time and space, with occasional prompts from the interviewer, to speak about their experiences and perspectives, and to tell their story. They are not scripted or edited. Oral histories see the narrator as the expert of their own story and give a platform to people who have been left out of the historical narrative.

“the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Work, including preliminary measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project. However, new exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment. The Standards for Preservation require retention of the greatest amount of historic fabric along with the building’s historic form.” (NPS)

A document that outlines the historic preservation goals, priorities, strategies for a historic site or resource. It will often include the proposed scope of work and proposed timelines, as well as suggestions for the site’s future interpretation and education to the public.

“the act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location. The Reconstruction Standards establish a limited framework for recreating a vanished or non-surviving building with new materials, primarily for interpretive purposes.” (NPS)

“the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. The Rehabilitation Standards acknowledge the need to alter or add to a historic building to meet continuing or new uses while retaining the building’s historic character.” (NPS)

“the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project. The Restoration Standards allow for the depiction of a building at a particular time in its history by preserving materials, features, finishes, and spaces from its period of significance and removing those from other periods.” (NPS)

To make updates. Although this word is widely accepted outside the preservation community, historic preservationists prefer to use the term “rehabilitate” since it incorporates careful retention of historic architectural or cultural features. See definition of Rehabilitation.

A self-replenishing pool of money run by a preservation organization or non-profit in order to fund historic rehabilitation projects. This works by the organization purchasing a historic property for a low cost, rehabilitating it, selling it back to the community (often affordably), and then using any proceeds and original money to purchase the next historic property to rehabilitate.

An African-American school built through the Rosenwald School Project, which provided funding to build more than 5,000 Black schools across the South from 1917-1948 in an effort to provide better education to rural, underfunded, and unequal Black schools. The project was a collaboration between Julius Rosenwald, Jewish-American owner and president of Sears and Roebuck, and Booker T. Washington, African American leader, educator, and president of the Tuskegee Institute. Rosenwald schools required matching funds from local African American communities, who raised money to support the land purchase, building, and maintenance of the schools, and communities were extremely proud of their new state of the art schools. Rosenwald schools are known for their distinctive architecture, particularly their tall narrow rows of windows designed to let in maximum light.

A historically and spiritually significant space that is a cornerstone in the fabric of African American history and culture. Sacred spaces can be church buildings, brush arbor churches, baptism springs, witness trees, cemeteries, other sites of sacred activities, or sites that are hallowed ground due to events that took place there (such as sites of a traumatic event, resistance, protest, or celebration). These are sites that have often simultaneously held space for trauma, grief, joy, celebration, and resistance. They have also historically served as community centers for organizing, activism, education, and mutual care.

These are the Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties—Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction (see separate definitions for each). These are standards that guide preservation work on historic sites or resources. All historic preservation work undertaken on a historic site should follow these standards. Standards are managed through the National Park Service (NPS). Standards are also available for Preservation Planning, Identification, Evaluation, Registration, Qualification, and Historical, Archaeological, Architectural, and Engineering Documentation.

The process required of federal agencies in order to consider the effects of projects they carry out, permit, or fund on historic properties (54 U.S.C. 306108).

Established by the National Historic Preservation Act, the agency in each state or territory that administers the national historic preservation program, including the National Register of Historic Places. The Officer is appointed by the Governor to oversee its functions. SHPO offices also provide resources on historic preservation to members of the public.

The board which reviews, determines eligibility, and recommends nomination of sites for the National Register of Historic Places. When you submit an application for the National Register and begin the review process, the state board is the first review step you must clear before your application is then referred up to the Keeper of the National Register at the federal level.

The official state historical marker program, which places the traditional black and white historical markers at sites of significance. The program is managed by the SHPO (see definition) and reviews and approves markers through an application process, but local communities have to fund, research, and install the markers themselves.

The state agency that preserves and promotes the historical and cultural heritage of South Carolina “through archival care and preservation, records management, public access, historic preservation, and education.” The State Archives, the SHPO (State Historic Preservation Office), the State Historical Marker Program, the National Register application process, and more are all under the umbrella of this agency.

A significant historical and/or cultural resource that is tangible or has a remaining physical presence in the world today. These are commonly historic buildings or structures, artifacts or objects, cultural landscapes, ethnographic resources, and cultural practices, but can be other tangible things as well. A term most commonly used in the National and State Park Service systems, but with broader applications across historic preservation and interpretation fields.

A historic tax credit is a specific amount or percentage that an organization or individual who has rehabilitated a historic site can claim on their yearly tax return in order to reduce their income tax. A tax incentive is a tax reduction designed to encourage private investment in historic preservation and rehabilitation projects.

The agency designated within a federally-recognized Native American Tribe that administers historic preservation guidance, legislation, and the National Register of Historic Places applications for the tribe/tribal lands. The Tribal Member overseeing its function is the Officer.

The process of land redevelopment that has been and continues to be used against “urban decay” and “inner city blight.” Urban renewal or revitalization seeks to clear historically BIPOC, marginalized, and poor neighborhoods of cities in favor of new, often more expensive, developments, businesses, homes, and transportation. Urban renewal began in force in the US during the 1950s, and while seen as positive at the time, is now known to have contributed to gentrification, redlining, and other restrictive and disenfranchising processes for historic communities.