Preserving the Places Where Our Ancestors Made History
We are a national alliance of grassroots people and organizations working to preserve historically significant African American endangered places.
Only 8% of what listed on the national register of historic places represents people of color. Of that only 2% reflect African American history and culture. We exist to tell our story through an authentic lens lead by grassroots folk who are on the ground making things happen everyday. We are local community leaders, descendants, scholars and professionals organized to be a resource in Black led heritage preservation and conservation work.
Celebrating the First African American Master Planned Community in Texas!
Historic preservation is about more than just the buildings. It is about the communities that they exist in and all the histories that are a part of its story.
We are a national alliance of grassroots people and organizations working to preserve endangered sites relating to the African American experience in America.
Our Movement
We are descendants turned into advocates using our collective power to impact preservation. We are scholars turned into advocates that are in engaging students using community as the classroom. We are elected leaders creating legislation to build equity in preservation. We are historians lighting the way by documenting the history we have yet to learn. We are genealogist using our craft to inspire families to know who they are. We are professionals digging up roots as proof of our existence.
We are a national organization working to build equity in preservation y connecting people doing the work with resources, inspiration and peer to peer support.
Only 8% of sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places reflect people of color
Only 2% of National Register listings reflect African American history and culture
We Stand with Communities! Preserving African American Heritage Sites on the Brink of Erasure
Black Led Preservation in Action
We must aggregate our collective power to achieve collective results in preservation. Check out some of our members who are the real “preservation rock stars”.
Pasha Baker
Goldsboro
Black Town Gets New Museum
Goldsboro was founded in 1891 by William Clark. He was the brother of Joseph Clark, who several years earlier started Eatonville, Florida’s first black town in neighboring Orange County. It was a peaceful community until 1911. That year, on April 26, a Florida State Representative and former Sanford mayor named Forrest Lake, pushed through a bill in Tallahassee that dissolved Goldsboro’s charter and forcibly annexed it into Sanford.
Herman Johnson
Mississippi
Mound Bayou Opens Heritage Museum
The small historically Black town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi is doing its part to honor Emmitt Till at the new Mound Bayou Heritage Museum located in the historic town.
Herman Johnson, Jr. is Director and Co-founder of the Mound Bayou Museum. He helped organize a screening of the movie Till at the former John F. Kennedy High School, home of the museum.
Mary Fontenot
Pleasantville
Fight to Maintain Historic Housing Stock
In Pleasantville, a historically Black neighborhood on the northeast side of Houston founded in 1948, resident Mary Fontenot says the GLO is proposing two-bedroom homes without garages and elevated by piers, rather than homes elevated on slabs. It goes against the community’s deed from when it was first established and will decrease the property’s value and destroy neighborhood character and integrity.
Preserving Place
We Amplify the Voices of Grassroots Preservationists
Who’s Telling the Story is Just as Important as the Story Itself
Black Preservation in Baltimore
Rural Texas House of Worship
Hidden History in Rural North Georgia
Join Our Movement
Our national alliance is open to Black Led organizations and individuals working to preserve African American heritage sites. Members receive monthly newsletter, discount workshops and events and access to resources including job listings. Membership is free through June 19, 2023.
Black Founded & Black Led Preservation People and Places
Our Partners in making the world a better place.
