UVA Legends Podcast: Architect Zena Howard on the Future of African-American History and Culture

Zena Howard is a distinguished architect celebrated for her contributions to some of the most iconic cultural landmarks of our time, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. She returns to the conversation to discuss recent developments involving proposed changes by the Trump administration that could impact how Black history is represented in the museum and other national parks. We also explore the evolving dialogue around diversity, equity, and inclusion—areas where Zena brings deep expertise and perspective. As one of the fewer than 1% of architects who are African-American women in a male-dominated profession, her reflections on race and gender carry particular weight, especially in an era when confronting these essential issues remains both urgent and complex.