(Hartford, CT) The Connecticut Freedom Trails spotlighted preservationist Brent Leggs during their “Conversations at Noon” event on Wednesday, July 30, at Connecticut’s Old State House, located at 800 Main Street in downtown Hartford. A recording of the full program is available to watch here: http://ct-n.com/ctnplayer.asp?odID=25155.
What is the role of preservation when it comes to telling America’s whole history? Brent Leggs, a national leader in the U.S. preservation movement, visited Hartford to discuss his passion for elevating the significance of Black culture in American history. “We are so excited to bring renowned preservationist Brent Leggs to Connecticut’s Old State House,” said Tammy Denease, Director of Outreach for the Connecticut Freedom Trail. “Having Mr. Leggs come to this historic site to discuss preservation and funding for sites on the Connecticut Freedom Trail could not be timelier. We are excited to bring the public together with Mr. Leggs to explore why it is critical now that we attach black narratives from the black perspective to the structures, sites, and artifacts across our state.”
As executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and senior vice president of the National Trust, Mr. Leggs envisions a social movement for justice, equity, and reconciliation. His work includes promoting the role of cultural preservation in telling the nation’s full history, while also empowering activists, entrepreneurs, artists, and civic leaders to advocate on behalf of African American historic places.
Preserving African American historic sites is one way Mr. Leggs believes our country can confront the past and make amends for the atrocities of slavery and segregation. In addition to his work at the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mr Leggs was the 2018 recipient of the Robert G. Stanton National Preservation Award. He is a former Loeb Fellow at Harvard University. He co-authored “Preserving African American Historic Places,” which the Smithsonian Institution called the “seminal publication on preserving African American historic sites.”