This past October, the National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrated the beginning of its 75th year. We kicked off the anniversary in celebratory style at our annual PastForward conference, held in New Orleans. Although it was my first PastForward, it felt like a homecoming to be with more than 1,000 extraordinary people, each of whom distinctively embodies the values that fuel our shared sense of purpose. The energy and diversity of voices demonstrated that preservation is not just about buildings; it’s about neighborhoods, cultural practices, stories, and shared ideals that connect us across generations.
PastForward’s keynote session featured actor and activist Wendell Pierce, a son of New Orleans who grew up in Pontchartrain Park, one of the first suburban-style subdivisions developed for African Americans in the segregated South. Pierce shared how, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, he worked with the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and other partners to rebuild his neighborhood and the sense of community he experienced there.
The challenges he faced—financing, political and bureaucratic roadblocks, the sheer emotional toll of witnessing displaced residents’ pain—resonated with everyone in the room. He reminded us that, as an endeavor that strengthens communities, preservation belongs to and can serve everyone.
