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The Gene Norman Preservation Awards Gala is named in honor of the late Gene Norman, who was the first, and to date only African American Chairman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and a co-founder of Save Harlem Now! Serving under Mayor Edward I. Koch in the 1980’s, Norman helped defeat New York State legislation that would have exempted religious institutions from landmarks designation. During his tenure as chairman, LPC granted landmark designations to St. Bartholomew’s Church; the Coty and Rizzoli Buildings; the Ladies’ Mile shopping area from 15th to 24th Street, between Park Avenue South and Avenue of the Americas; and the Coney Island Cyclone. He also secured a $60,000 grant from the Astor Foundation for crucial research and field work in Harlem.
Meet our 2026 Honorees!
Voza Rivers
Brent Leggs
Harlem Burial Ground Initiative
Sharon Wilkins, Rev. Dr. Patricia Singletary, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Melinda Velez
Lana Turner
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bio
2026 Sponsors
Zora Neale Hurston
Ayon Studio
Harlem Commonwealth Council
Dean & Marilyn Schomburg
2026 Honorary Committee
Marta Gutman, Dean, CCNY Spitzer School of Architecture
Sharon Joseph, CEO, Harlem Commonwealth Council
Lucille McEwen, President, McEwen Consulting Solutions, Inc.
Christina Norman, Gene Norman Family
Dean & Marilyn Blackstone Schomburg, Arturo Schombuyrg Family
Peggy Shepard, Executive Director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
Marianne Spraggins, Board Member, West Harlem Community Development Corp.
Lana Turner, Harlem Cultural Historian
Donna Mussenden Van Der Zee, Steward, James Van Der Zee Photography
Sylvia White, Executive Vice President, Bridge Philanthropic Consulting