Nina Simone’s NC Childhood Home Guaranteed Protection After Agreement With Owners

The former home of legendary singer Nina Simone — designated as a National Treasure in 2018 — is now protected property that will be preserved for years to come.

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 is now protected with a preservation easement held by Preservation North Carolina, a statewide historic preservation advocacy organization.

Located in Tryon, North Carolina, the home is where Simone taught herself to play piano at age 3, according to NTHP. The preservation easement placed on the home by Preservation North Carolina ensures that the property owner will permanently protect the “authentic character” of the historic building.

“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.”

“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,” Katherine Malone-France, of NTHP, said in a press release.

“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,” she said.

Four African American visual artists — Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Ellen Gallagher, and Julie Mehretu — purchased the home in 2017 after it had fallen into disrepair. The group entered into a voluntary legal agreement in order to preserve the property, according to NTHP.

“Today, Nina Simone’s legacy is as important as ever,” Pendleton said in a press release. “This preservation easement is another step towards ensuring that her childhood home, and the history it embodies, persist long into the future.”

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.

Simone, who was born Eunice Waymon in 1933, is one of the most influential and accomplished singers of her time. She died in 2003 at age 70.

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