“Historic Preservation: One Step Closer to Social Justice”

The WeGOJA Foundation will host its annual Cultural and Historic Preservation Conference April 20-21 in Columbia, S.C. Under the theme “Historic Preservation: One Step Closer to Social Justice,” the conference explores the link between the accurate re-telling of history and the pursuit of social justice.

Highlights include a welcoming reception at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at the African American monument on the State House grounds. On Thursday, the conference highlight will be a plenary address by Brent Leggs, Senior Vice President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Following the plenary, discussions will be led by some of the state’s leading historians on the connection between historic preservation and social justice.

The annual Preserving Our Places in History awards ceremony will be held during the conference’s luncheon. Outstanding achievements in 2021 toward preserving and promoting African American history in South Carolina will be recognized at this event.