A wide shot of a ceramics studio, featuring students working with pottery wheels and other tools.

A Statement of Solidarity

The idea of Historic Preservation is built upon remembrance of the past, the material and cultural details that deliver and support the present. The needless destruction of life at the hands of racist authority most recently demonstrated in the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis is connected to a long habit of violence against black people that must stop. In solidarity with the local public outcry and the millions of demonstrators who have taken to the streets around the world, we want to affirm our departmental commitment to inclusion and representation at all levels.

As we try to move on from the horrific sham of justice, protection and service that is police brutality we will also confirm our commitment to combating white supremacy, and our readiness to rethinking and remaking the professional field. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary efforts, including a re-assessment of values and ethics. 

The Historic Preservation Department echoes the assurances made very recently by the School's President Elissa Tenny and will carry these commitments forward in our department alongside our ongoing support for diversity at SAIC. We are committed to fostering inclusion, cultural representation and racial justice in our work as preservationists, artists, and scholars, as participants and in support of ongoing struggles for liberation and equality.

Nicholas C. Lowe Associate Professor and Program Chair 

Anne T. SullivanFAIA, FAPT - Associate Professor