The childhood home of legendary singer and activist Nina Simone in Tryon, North Carolina, has been fully restored after nine years of effort by an artist coalition led by Adam Pendleton, alongside Julie Mehretu, Rashid Johnson, and Ellen Gallagher. The restoration, completed with a $6 million boost from a charity auction and gala co-hosted by tennis star Venus Williams and Pace Gallery, preserved the 650-square-foot clapboard house to its 1933–1937 condition, including historically accurate materials, an ADA ramp, geothermal climate control, and a century-old magnolia tree named “Sweetie Mae.” The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund announced the completion, and the property remains closed to the public while community programming and ethical cultural tourism are being planned.
This restoration matters because it safeguards a critical landmark of Black cultural history—the place where Nina Simone first learned piano and developed her extraordinary talent. The project exemplifies how artists and cultural figures can mobilize resources to preserve endangered heritage sites, blending philanthropy, art market mechanisms (auction sales), and community engagement. It also highlights the growing movement to protect sites associated with African American luminaries, ensuring their legacies remain tangible for future generations.