Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places Program
2022 LIST OF VIRGINIA’S MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC PLACES ANNOUNCED by PRESERVATION VIRGINIA
The Parker Sydnor log cabin site is one of eleven historic sites in Virginia named to the prestigious 2022 list of Most Endangered Historic Places in Virginia,
sponsored by Preservation Virginia. Extant dwellings of enslaved people are rare. Time, weather, and deferred maintenance make these structures especially vulnerable. The owners of many of these buildings, such as at Ivy Cliff, need resources and support to preserve these important structures. The Parker Sydnor Cabin was home to a literate tombstone and headstone carver, Patrick Robert “Parker” Sydnor (1854-1950), born into slavery. The Sydnor log cabin under the stewardship of Literacy InterActives, Inc., is in considerable need of stabilization and preservation. Each year Preservation Virginia has released a list of historic places that face imminent or sustained threats to encourage individuals, organizations, and local and state government to advocate for and find solutions for their preservation.
“Inclusion on the Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places list can have a profound influence on bringing organizations and individuals together to forward solutions and solve threats,” said Elizabeth S. Kostelny, CEO of Preservation Virginia. “This year is no exception.”
Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places list has a track record of success. Since the program began, more than 50% of sites listed have been saved, 10% have been lost, and the remaining 40% are still being monitored. This year’s list reflects the resilience of the Commonwealth’s many historic places that have persisted through generations of support from their communities. The dedication of organizations, local governments, and 
individuals currently working to preserve these places reflects the very nature of the historic preservation movement–the ability to adapt to challenges and retain relevance in an ever-changing world.
Preservation Virginia has helped save more than 400 historic places by empowering communities and embracing the places of our past as vital to present and future generations. The organization’s three areas of focus include preservation, education and advocacy.
Your tax-deductible gift to Literacy InterActives will fuel the ongoing preservation work of the Parker Sydnor historic site, which will serve our communities through educational and civic engagement. Give today!
Announcing the 2022 AASLH Leadership in History Award Winners.
Literacy InterActives, Inc. is a proud recipient of the Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH). The annual award is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. LIA received the award for its video conferencing series, “This is Us: Preserving Our Church Histories.” The national AASLH “committee was particularly impressed that LIA had provided such great history content while also expanding your community’s fluency with technology at a key time in the pandemic.”
“It is always inspiring to see the amazing work of individuals and organizations across the nation through the Leadership in History Awards program,” said Christy Crisp, National Awards Chair, “but the challenges we have all faced over the past two years make the incredible work displayed through this year’s award-winning projects all the more extraordinary. From quickly restructuring planned exhibits to serve online learners, to developing unprecedented collecting collaborations, to creating platforms for discussion and interaction in communities struggling for connection, the projects represented in this year’s Leadership in History Awards truly illustrate the creative, dedicated, and tenacious spirit of the many organizations—large and small—that make the Awards program so exciting.” Presentation of the awards will be made at a special reception during the 2022 AASLH Annual Conference in Buffalo, New York.
Silver Linings: Books, Newspapers and Zoom
in the Age of COVID-19
Despite the persistent onslaught of COVID-19 and its related challenges in our communities, Literacy InterActives, Inc. (LIA) had a year of exceptional accomplishments because of the commitment and ongoing support of our board members, advisory council members, and stakeholders near and far. In 2020 Literacy InterActives, Inc. (LIA) received a generous grant from Virginia Humanities. We were set to conduct a series of in-person workshops that would focus on multiple interpretations of historic preservation in Southern Virginia. With the impact of the pandemic, LIA had to quickly shift its planning and target a virtual audience for the series entitled, “This is Us: Preserving Our Church Histories,” a public virtual event that opened up new relationships and networking about new approaches to historic preservation of sacred spaces.
Visit the Workshop Series Recording Links
April 17, 2021: “Conversations with the Ancestors: Women Collecting Funeral Service Programs”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqk9iA6Y6_Y
April 24, 2021: “Preserving Our Church Histories for the Generations”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_FENBh-dvs
Stay tuned for more virtual events for 2022!
FEATURED CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, AND SYMPOSIA
2021
Webinar: “Rosenwald Schools in Virginia: Updates and Preservation Tools”
Preservation Virginia
Preservation of African American Churches, Cemeteries, Historic
Structures, Associated Land and Landmarks
Webinar Series: “Somebody’s Calling My Name”
Baptist General Convention of Virginia
National Virtual Conference
American Association for State and
Local History
PastForward Diversity Scholarship Program
“Lead the Change”
National Trust for Historic Preservation
“Antebellum Plantation Weddings Among Enslaved Women and Men”
By Angelita D. Reyes
Preservation Magazine, October 18, 2021
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Webinar: “Archaeology, Social Relevance, and Community Engagement”
Preservation Virginia
Slave Dwelling Project Conference
2020
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Symposium on Plantation Weddings
Preservation Virginia Award for
Achievement in Historic Preservation
Research
PastForward Conference
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Diversity Scholars Award
Webinar Series: Preservation of African American Sacred Spaces
Baptist General Convention of Virginia
Preserving African American Historic Places Symposium
Preservation Virginia
2019 Preservation Virginia, Danville, Virginia
2018 Virginia Forum, Emory and Henry College
2017 Virginia Forum, Norfolk State University
2016 Virginia Forum, Jamestown Settlement/Colonial Williamsburg
2015 Collegium on African American Research
2015 Virginia Forum, Virginia Commonwealth University
2015 National Council on Public History
2014 Women’s History Month at Duquesne University
2013 Virginia Forum, “Writing Among the Dead”
2012 Virginia Forum, James Madison University
2012 Clarksville Regional Museum, Mother’s Day Exhibit
2011 Boydton Day Celebration
2011 Virginia Forum, Washington & Lee and Virginia Military Institute
2010 Virginia Forum, Christopher Newport University
2009 Virginia Forum, Longwood University
2008 Virginia Forum, University of Mary Washington