Hiring and Training New Restoration Craftspersons While Researching the Enslaved Craftspersons Who Constructed Preservation Virginia Historic Sites

FAIN: ZPA-284148-22

Preservation Virginia (Richmond, VA 23220-5012)
Jennifer Hurst-Wender (Project Director: May 2021 to October 2025)

Existing programs and new research designed to identify and share discoveries about the enslaved men, women, and children who originally built the five historic properties in Preservation Virginia’s stewardship, retaining four existing jobs and creating two jobs.

Preservation Virginia's Lead Restoration Craftsperson Mike Adams is approaching retirement, and time is of the essence to train the next generation of craftspersons. Economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic put these plans on hold. After 40 years with Preservation Virginia, Adams has amassed an amazing skill set for preserving historic buildings. In hiring, Preservation Virginia will be intentional and direct in reaching out to Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as African American history programs to help make the historic preservation profession more diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive. Discoveries gleaned from preservation projects will be paired with primary source research to help identify the enslaved men, women and children who originally built the five historic properties in Preservation Virginia's stewardship. These findings, as well as the curriculum followed by the new craftspersons, will be documented through a video and webinar series.