Beginning 4-24-25 – A New Series- What Preservationists Have to Teach Rocky Mount

What do a former First Lady, a Black preservation economist, a coffeehouse founder, and a bricklayer have in common? They believed in the power of place. They knew that old buildings hold more than walls—they hold memory. Craftsmanship. Community, and the promise that something worth saving still stands.

This blog series, What Rocky Mount Can Learn From…, is my small effort to honor the people who have made preservation their life’s work. Some are nationally known. Some are local heroes. All are individuals I’d be proud to keep company with.

They come from every background—teachers, developers, activists, artisans—and yet they speak with one voice: Don’t tear down what time has given you. Build upon it.

Rocky Mount is in the middle of its own story. Our downtown is changing, our neighborhoods remembering themselves again. But as we move forward, we need to walk with wise guides. The preservationists in this series have fought for what was nearly lost and dreamed of what still might be.

They teach us:
• That history is not just what happened, but what’s worth keeping.
• That buildings can be reimagined, and so can whole towns.
• That preservation is not about stopping time—it’s about honoring it, then building something better.

Each post is a tribute, a handshake across time. A reminder that we don’t preserve buildings out of sentimentality, but certainly in gratitude—for the hands that built them, and the lives they sheltered.

If I could name a rose after each of these people, I would. A street. A plaza. A window lintel. Instead I have researched and written this series, in my way, to honor these significant people.

I hope you’ll walk with me through these short stories. They may change how you see Rocky Mount. They’ve certainly changed how I see the work that lies ahead. Because when we learn from the past, we don’t just save what’s behind us—we find the courage to shape what’s next.