A Conversation About Philanthropy and Preservation as Justice

Abstract:A conversation between Sherilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Darren Walker, president and CEO of the Ford Foundation examines how stories and histories of marginalized communities are represented in preservation practice and how moving forward, preservation can be a tool for social and cultural justice. The speakers address painful pasts and the importance of preserving physical evidence of these truths. Walker and Ifill also acknowledge the need to challenge ingrained assumptions within the profession. They note that marrying activism to the work of preservation creates a seamless story that recognizes past history to the relevance of the current moment.