Johnny Baxter Award

Our team employs student interns from UNC Asheville to serve as “citizen archivists,” conducting research for 828 Digital Archives for Historical Equity. This is made possible by the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County’s Johnny Baxter Award. Since 2019, PSABC has collaborated with UNCA’s Department of History to offer an annual award to a student or students furthering the study of African American contributions in Asheville and Buncombe County.

This award was developed in honor of Johnny Baxter, a native Asheville preservationist, historian and founding Board member of PSABC.  Mr. Baxter led the efforts to have the YMI Cultural Center listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Learn more about Mr. Baxter’s impact on the community by reading this 1975 oral history!