The National Preservation Summit opens with an evening reception and presentation of the National Trust’s annual awards including the prestigious Driehaus and Crowninshield awards. The awards ceremony will be livestreamed.

During the awards ceremony, the National Trust will hold its Annual Membership Meeting. Members of the National Trust are encouraged to attend the meeting. The principal purpose of the meeting will be the election of trustees. Visit savingplaces.org/board-of-trustees to review this year’s slate of Trustee nominees.

The Summit will take place in the extraordinary Washington National Cathedral, with welcoming remarks from Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope of Washington National Cathedral and an address by Brent Leggs, the 11th President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, preserving the full story of our shared past will be essential to building a brighter future. Leggs’s remarks will ground the Summit proceedings in the power of place, stewardship, and partnerships to shape our civic landscape.

Significant changes have been proposed to the regulations governing Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, raising important questions about the future of federal historic preservation review and stakeholder engagement. This session brings together a panel of experts to examine and respond to the proposed regulatory revisions and their potential impacts on historic resources, communities, Tribal consultation, and project planning.

Historic places serve as reminders of the past and are catalysts for stronger, more resilient communities and open pathways to greater economic opportunity. Through short talks, preservation thought leaders will explore how preservation tools such as tax credits, adaptive reuse, energy efficiency, and landscape conservation can help communities thrive while reinforcing the values of dignity, access, and shared prosperity.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Sarah Lewis, acclaimed author, scholar, and founder of Vision & Justice, joins Sherrilyn Ifill, renowned civil rights lawyer, legal scholar, and founding director of Howard University School of Law’s 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy, to explore the vital role of history, memory, and place in shaping our inspired and inclusive future. Drawing on their groundbreaking work at the intersections of history, race, democracy, law, and culture, Lewis and Ifill will discuss how historic sites and cultural institutions can expand public understanding of the nation’s past, elevate overlooked stories, and create opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and repair.

As we continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Founding Era, this session explores how historic places—through commemoration, public interpretation, and civic engagement—serve as powerful platforms for connecting past to present. Through short talks, preservation thought leaders will show how these spaces and their stories illuminate both the promise and the unfinished work of securing recognition, celebration, and respect for the humanity of all Americans past, present, and future.

Historic places are essential touchstones that help us understand who we are, where we have been, and what kind of future we hope to build. Join us for inspiring remarks from architect, educator and writer Michael P. Murphy and Senator Bill Frist on the enduring importance of place in shaping both individual lives and the broader American story. These nationally known speakers will help us explore how historic places foster belonging, strengthen civic life, and serve as catalysts for stewardship and investment in the future

Hear from Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, as he shares inspiration and encouragement on how we can nurture the connections built during this National Preservation Summit and continue to move forward as a preservation movement, together.