Confronting Bias and Representation in the Heritage of American Cities

We draw from our archaeological work in Chicago and Detroit to address broader anthropological issues of bias, representation, and inclusivity in heritage management that emerge from the intertwined legacies of historic preservation and urban renewal initiatives. The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the federal legislation that prescribes the majority of archaeological recoveries in the United States, was enacted in response to the unmitigated destruction of significant cultural and historical resources caused by national and local urban renewal campaigns. Archaeological investigations focused on the history and legacy of urban renewal campaigns illuminate local responses to residential displacement, segregation, and neglect. They also document how the places and people associated with these processes are rarely included in the protective structures of the US federal historic preservation system. We articulate three approaches to the archaeology of urban renewal to demonstrate how historical archaeological practice is positioned to examine the structural and social undergirding of cities, and to confront bias in the federal historic preservation system, through its emphasis on place-based histories, tangible remains, and involvement with local stakeholders.