AACHAF Executive Director Brent Leggs Preserves Black Legacy – Rolling Out

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Brent Leggs is a visionary leader transforming how America values and preserves its history. As executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and senior vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, he has dedicated his career to protecting the spaces that tell the story of Black America.
Under his leadership, the Action Fund has raised more than $220 million and invested in nearly 400 historic sites nationwide, from the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument to Madam C. J. Walker’s estate. For Leggs, preservation is not just about restoring buildings; it is about restoring pride, advancing justice, and ensuring that future generations inherit the full story of America’s identity.
He explains how his mission to protect these sacred places became a deeper purpose rooted in justice, equity, and cultural empowerment.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund was born out of a commitment to elevate the stories and protect the places where Black history unfolds. Through historic preservation we ensure that the contributions, struggles, and triumphs of Black Americans whose stories have too often been marginalized or erased, are not treated merely as a footnote in history, but as foundational to the American story.
Since its founding in 2017, the Action Fund has raised over $220 million and invested over $44 million in the preservation of 378 Black historic sites across the country through various initiatives such as the National Grant Program, Descendant and Family Stewardship Initiative, and Conserving Black Modernism.
This work is about more than just saving buildings. It’s about honoring identity, advancing equity, and using history as a foundation for progress.
Through our key initiatives — the National Grant Program, Preserving Black Churches Program, Descendant and Family Stewardship Initiative, and Conserving Black Modernism –, we prioritize places that not only reflect historical importance but also resonate with living communities today.
The sites we work with often embody broader movements – whether in civil rights, education, arts, or social justice – while also telling deeply personal and local stories.
For example, Brown Chapel AME Church – which received a $1 million grant this March for restoration and preservation – exemplifies how we identify these essential sites. We look for places that serve both as symbols of larger social movements and as anchors of community life. Brown Chapel is not only a historical house of worship but also a cornerstone of the civil rights movement.
We leverage historic preservation by confronting the long-standing inequities and disinvestment that have left many Black historic sites undocumented, underfunded, or forgotten. Through the Action Fund, we work to ensure these places are not only protected, but also formally recognized and celebrated as essential parts of the American story.
Ultimately, our goal is to help the nation understand that Black history is American history. By preserving and promoting these sites, we honor the contributions of Black Americans and ensure their stories are remembered and told to create a more accurate and inclusive narrative for future generations.
Historic preservation can be an engine of economic development by empowering historically Black communities to take ownership of their local cultural assets. This revitalization brings attention to the heritage and cultural sites in these places and in turn generates tourism, revitalizes arts and cultural programming, and generates revenue for local businesses. With this initiative, preservation becomes a vehicle for sustainable growth, not just an act of remembrance.
Cultural preservation is a powerful tool for advancing social justice. Preserving these spaces reaffirms that Black history is American history. It invites reflection, inspires dialogue, and empowers future generations through stories of resilience and leadership. In this way, preservation becomes more than preserving physical spaces – it becomes an act of justice and catalyst for change.
Working to preserve places tied to cultural icons has taught me that historic preservation is not just about safeguarding physical structures, but also honoring identity, memory, and the profound influences these figures had. These sites aren’t just landmarks but vessels for history, culture, and resilience. Preserving these spaces reminds us that history is not static—it breathes through people, communities, and the creative energy they leave behind.
There is significant need for preservation of historic sites in the African American community. Since the Action Fund was founded in 2017, we’ve received over 8,000 grant applications requesting $1.2 billion. These investments don’t just preserve buildings; they preserve the truth. They give communities a sense of pride, place, and
belonging—and they ensure that future generations inherit a fuller, more honest picture of America.
Technology is transforming the future of historic preservation by allowing us to amplify stories, broaden access, and engage new audiences in ways that weren’t possible in the past. Storytelling, when combined with technology, opens new pathways for access, bringing history to people wherever they are. Through digital platforms, documentaries, podcasts, and radio, we can connect people – especially younger generations – to the narratives tied to these historical places.
A lesson I share with students about the responsibility of preserving this culture is that it doesn’t just preserve physical monuments, but their stories, heritage, and legacy as well. Too often, the places associated with Black history have gone unrecognized for the important role they play in the fabric of American society. By saving these Black historical places, we not only preserve a physical piece of history, but we also contribute to telling the full American story—which is now more critical than ever.
Visiting a site that we’ve helped preserve is always a moving experience. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance and impact of this work.
Perhaps my biggest realization and motivating factor in this work is that if we don’t invest now, we rob future generations of the stories, places, and cultural touchstones that define who we are. Preservation is about inheritance as much as history. I call on leaders across sectors to invest boldly in preservation, especially in Black and marginalized histories, because when we protect these places, we protect the soul of our democracy.