United States: a major project to save and transform Nina Simone's childhood home

2023-05-21T22:29:09.606Z

Highlights: Nina Simone was one of the great voices of jazz in the U.S. and around the world. A group of artists, supported by celebrities, hopes to save the diva's childhood home. An auction to raise the necessary funds ends this Monday, May 22. Eventually, Nina Simone's house should be converted into a museum and artists' residence. The project is supported by none other than tennis player Venus Williams: "We don't preserve enough the stories of African Americans that make history"

Nina Simone was one of the great voices of jazz in the United States and around the world, and she still inspires today. To the point that a group of artists, supported by celebrities, hopes to save the house...

Report

United States: a major project to save and transform Nina Simone's childhood home

Audio 01:28

Jazz diva Nina Simone on June 27, 1985 at Avery Fisher Hall (now David Geffen Hall) in New York City. AP - Rene Perez

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Nina Simone was one of the great voices of jazz in the United States and around the world, and she still inspires today. So much so that a group of artists, supported by celebrities, hopes to save the diva's childhood home to make it a museum and a center in her memory. An auction to raise the necessary funds ends this Monday, May 22.

Advertising

A modest, wooden house in one of the black neighborhoods of Tyron, North Carolina. This is where Nina Simone took her first steps and played her first piano notes. Six years ago, a group of artists bought the house to save it from demolition. Today, they want to make it a cultural site in memory of the great diva. A project supported by none other than tennis player Venus Williams:

« It all started in Nina Simone's childhood home. Its roots are there. It is important to preserve your home if you want to preserve your history. »

Preserve artistic history, but also political history. Nina Simone was very involved in the civil rights movement. "We don't preserve enough the stories of African Americans that make history. This project is therefore crucial for Nina Simone's legacy, but also for what can be accomplished in the future," continued Venus Williams.

Auctions were held with the goal of raising $2 million. Eventually, Nina Simone's house should be converted into a museum and artists' residence. Enough to give a second life to the places that saw the birth of one of the undisputed queens of jazz.

Artist Adam Pendleton stands in front of an exhibition he co-curated as part of the Nina Simone Childhood Home auction exhibition at the Pace Gallery in New York on May 17, 2023. A group of American artists led efforts to preserve rights activist Nina Simone's childhood home as a cultural site, auctioning artwork and hosting a gala on May 20, 2023 in New York City to raise funds. AFP - ED JONES

United States: a major project to save and transform Nina Simone's childhood home

United States: a major project to save and transform Nina Simone's childhood home

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest