The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, in partnership with World Monuments Fund (WMF) and Preservation North Carolina, recently secured protection of Nina Simone’s childhood home. The home, located in Tryon, North Carolina is now protected with a preservation easement held by Preservation North Carolina, a statewide historic preservation advocacy organization. A preservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement where a property owner agrees to permanently protect a historic building’s authentic character. With the easement in place, the home is now protected indefinitely, with the agreement carrying forward to all future owners. While protecting the home, the easement will not impede rehabilitation of the home, but ensure its historic character is maintained and prevent demolition.

“Preservation NC has long been in the business of saving the places that matter to the diverse communities of North Carolina—and equally important, we are committed to telling the stories of those places,” said Preservation NC President, Myrick Howard. “When the place disappears, frequently, the story does too. Easements are one of the most important tools we have to save places and their stories. We are beyond delighted and honored to be a part of preserving not just Nina Simone’s childhood home, but the powerful story of her roots in North Carolina.”

Born Eunice Waymon in 1933, the home is where Simone taught herself the piano at age 3. In recent years, the three-room, 660-square foot clapboard house had fallen in disrepair. Alarmed by the condition of the home and the risk of losing this connection to Nina Simone entirely, four African American visual artists—Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Ellen Gallagher, Julie Mehretu—purchased the property in 2017. “Today, Nina Simone’s legacy is as important as ever. This preservation easement is another step towards ensuring that her childhood home, and the history it embodies, persists long into the future,” said Adam Pendleton. “We’re delighted to be working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Preservation North Carolina alongside many other partners to make this continuous stewardship a reality.”

In 2018, the National Trust, as a part of its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, designated Nina Simone’s Childhood Home as a National Treasure and joined with its owners and partners - World Monuments Fund, The Nina Simone Project, and the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission - to preserve the home. The National Treasure campaign seeks to develop and implement a preservation strategy for the home in the areas of rehabilitation, protection and future uses that ensure that the symbol of Simone’s early life and legacy will endure for generations to come. National Trust Chief Preservation Officer, Katherine Malone-France, stated, “Nina Simone - legendary musician, social justice champion, and global inspiration – defied constraints placed on Black female performers in the mid-twentieth century to become the voice of civil rights. In order to honor and carry forward her extraordinary legacy, a group of visionary artists and preservationists have collaborated to demonstrate our commitment to equity and racial justice by protecting an American landmark in perpetuity and ensuring that Simone’s unique voice continues to inspire and empower people through her childhood home.”

Preservation North Carolina currently holds over 800 easements across the state, including: Loray Mill in Gastonia, Grove Arcade in Asheville and Blackberry Hill in Tryon. The Nina Simone Childhood Home easement was made possible, due to funding support from World Monuments Fund.

“World Monuments Fund is thrilled to be a part of this important project to protect Nina Simone’s childhood home, providing the opportunity for future generations to engage with her legacy,” said Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO, World Monuments Fund. “Since 2018, we have worked hand-in-hand with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and through them, local partners on the ground, to protect the site, and to develop a plan for its sustainable new use. This is a model project that underscores the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of underrepresented groups, to ensure that these narratives and collective memories are not marginalized.”

Preservation of the home, which started last year, is scheduled to continue this fall, guided by the exterior rehabilitation plan developed by Asheville-based architects Mathews Architecture. Rehabilitation on the home is supported by proceeds from a national crowdfunding campaign launched by the National Trust in summer 2019. The National Trust is also wrapping up a series of community engagement sessions, working with local organizations in Tryon, to inform the future use of the home and ensure benefit to the neighborhood and African American community.

For more information on the Nina Simone Childhood Home and campaign updates visit www.savingplaces.org/NinaSimone.

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About Preservation North Carolina
Founded in 1939, Preservation North Carolina (PNC) is North Carolina’s only private nonprofit statewide historic preservation organization. Its mission is to protect and promote buildings, landscapes and sites important to the diverse heritage of North Carolina. Through its award-winning Endangered Properties Program, Preservation North Carolina acquires endangered historic properties and then finds purchasers to rehabilitate them. PNC’s Endangered Properties Program is widely regarded as the nation’s most successful program of its kind. Visit http://www.presnc.org/

About World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is the leading independent organization devoted to saving the world’s treasured places. For more than 50 years, working in more than 100 countries, its highly skilled experts have applied proven and effective techniques to the preservation of important architectural and cultural heritage sites around the globe. Through the World Monuments Watch—a biennial, nomination-based program—WMF uses cultural heritage conservation to empower communities and improve human well-being. In partnership with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF seeks to inspire an enduring commitment to stewardship for future generations. Headquartered in New York City, the organization has offices and affiliates worldwide. Visit https://www.wmf.org/

About the Nina Simone Childhood Home National Treasure Campaign
The childhood home of Nina Simone, Civil Rights icon and revolutionary musician and singer, was named a National Treasure in June 2018 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust will work closely with local, state and national partners and the four visual artists who purchased the home to develop and implement a new use for the now-vacant and deteriorating yet nationally significant property. This campaign is an effort of the National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a preservation initiative with the Ford, JPB, and Andrew W. Mellon foundations and actress Phylicia Rashad to uncover and uplift stories of African American resilience, activism, and achievement. More information can be found at: savingplaces.org/NinaSimone. Follow @SavingPlaces and #NinaSimone and #TelltheFullStory on social media.