School Buildings, Model City and the Struggle for Access

This episode features an exciting conversation with Amber N. Wiley, PhD, who has just published her new book titled 'Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital' The interview covers various topics including the challenges and triumphs of writing her book during the pandemic as well as the history and architecture of black schools in Washington, DC. Amber also discusses her upbringing, the significance of black public high schools, and the efforts to get them recognized as national historic landmarks. The interview concludes with a look at Amber's future projects and her upcoming book tour events.Amber N. Wiley Ph.D. is the Wick Cary Director of the Institute for Quality Communities. An award-winning scholar, Wiley has over 20 years of experience in teaching, research and professional practice in historic preservation, architecture and community engagement. She has dedicated her career to advancing the history and narrative of design and preservation in Black communities, as well as advocating for theoretically rigorous, thoughtful and inclusive expansions of preservation policy and practice. She currently serves on the board of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Her first book, Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital was released by the University of Pittsburgh Press in April 2025. Her second book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum is scheduled for release by the Rutgers University Press in May 2026.Amber received her Ph.D. in American Studies from George Washington University. She also holds a Master’s in Architectural History and Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia School of Architecture, and a B.A. in Architecture from Yale University. She is a native of Oklahoma City with roots in Washington, DC, Maryland, North Carolina, and Arkansas.Learn More:Purchase Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation's Capital at www.ambernwiley.com and https://dchistory.org/events/book-talk-model-schools/Watch Clips:Walter Fauntroy, Urban Renewal and The Model City Video Short: https://youtube.com/shorts/s_-AKvIGZfY?feature=share