From the ports where slave ships docked to the streets where people gather in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, the fight for civil rights in America has given us reason to rethink how we look at historic preservation. With one of the nation’s preeminent historic preservation departments, scholars at the Stuart Weitzman School of Design are taking an active part in those conversations.
“Traditionally, historic preservation focuses on buildings,” says Charlette Caldwell, GFA’16. “My work advocates for viewing ‘non-buildings’ such as landscapes and sites of protest as a significant part of Black and American cultural heritage that deserve consideration in preservation efforts.”
Caldwell’s research interests aligned with the work of Professor Randy Mason, PAR’16, Professor in the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation at the Weitzman School. Mason approached Caldwell to join the School’s newly founded Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites (CPCRS) as a research fellow. “It was a unique opportunity to further my research while helping the Weitzman School share its expertise with preservationists around the country,” says Caldwell.
Officially launched in October 2020, the CPCRS evolved out of a partnership between the Weitzman School and the Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science at Tuskegee University. “We started with a teaching collaboration, which led us to realize there was an immediate opportunity to connect the Weitzman School with a network of institutions doing important work, especially historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs),” says Mason, who serves as Faculty Director of the Center.
In October 2019, after speaking with Mason about the partnership with Tuskegee University, Weitzman School Board Chair and University Trustee Kevin Penn, W’83, PAR’14, PAR’17, PAR’22, recognized the impact of expanding this work nationally. Penn worked with Mason and others to conceptualize a center committed to preserving historic civil rights sites in the United States, making a gift to help launch the CPCRS.
“The movement toward civil rights for all is marked by both major milestones and major setbacks, often combined with poignant tragedy,” says Penn. “Without preservation of these places, we lose a vital part of the American story and the human experience. I am fortunate to be part of the creation of the Center, which will become integral to the University of Pennsylvania’s and the Weitzman School’s work in preserving these important sites and their place in our national dialogue.”
Through the Center, we have a unique opportunity to innovate the traditional methods of heritage stewardship and amplify the Weitzman School’s leadership in historic preservation. As a trusted partner and technical expert, we can fill gaps in the preservation industry’s infrastructure, which often overlooks solvable problems until the last minute.” Brent Leggs, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Weitzman School of Design, Senior Advisor to the CPCRS, and Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
While launching a center during a pandemic has posed challenges, the CPCRS has already drawn attention, with hundreds of guests viewing its first virtual program, “Understanding Civil Rights.” The CPCRS presents an ongoing series, “Dialogues,” to raise visibility and deepen discussion on civil rights heritage and preservation efforts. The next CPCRS Dialogue will be held on February 23, featuring Jeanne Theoharis, Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College.
“The landscape of civil rights is the American landscape,” says Mason. “Whether a monument or a gentrified neighborhood, we all are a part of this living history. It is a story all of us should honor.”
The Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites is one example of how the Stuart Weitzman School of Design is expanding its impact and contributing to the advancement of social justice during their Lead By Design Campaign. To learn more about upcoming events and the mission and work of the CPCRS, visit the Center’s website, and tune in to the next CPCRS Dialogue on February 23.
