In 2016, the childhood home of High Priestess of Soul Nina Simone was under threat of demolition. After a decade of collective efforts from artists, architects, and even celebrities such as Venus Williams, the house has been restored. While it is not available to the public just yet, we do have some pictures of the home for you to see how the restoration saved the childhood home of this Black American icon.
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Picture of The Home Before It Was Restored
Nina Simone, born Eunice Waymon, lived in the home from the year she was born, 1933, until she was 4 years old in 1937. Even though the home was only 650 square feet with three rooms, nine family members lived in the house, according to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF).
The Home Was Purchased In 2016
African American artists Adam Pendleton, Ellen Gallagher, Julie Mehretu and Rashid Johnson bought the home in 2016 with the plans to restore it. In 2017, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and Simone’s brother, Dr. Samuel Waymon, joined in to help the artists restore the home, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Where Is Nina Simone’s Home?
The home is located in Tryon, North Carolina, on East Livingston Street. Community members in Tryon helped lead the restoration project alongside the AACHAF and Dr. Samuel Waymon, per the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Church Members Helped Lead The Restoration
Notably, members of St. Luke CME Church, where Simone’s mother was a minister, were among the community members who led the restoration efforts, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Simone’s Local Church Can Be Seen From The Home
Looking from a window in the home, there is a clear view of the church where Nina Simone grew up. The same church where she started playing piano as a child, according to the official Nina Simone website.
Picture of The Home After It Was Restored
To raise the money needed to fix the home, in 2023, the AACHAF partnered with tennis icon Venus Williams and artist Adam Pendleton to create a charity auction for the project, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The money raised from the auction was put toward restoring the home in June 2024.
Venus Williams Was Proud To Be A Part Of The Project
In a statement to the National Trust, Williams said that she was proud to help.
“I’m so proud to be part of this project honoring Nina Simone, whose legacy embodies strength, artistry, and the power of speaking truth. I’m able to pursue my passions and live my dreams because of the barriers she broke and the paths she paved. Preserving her home celebrates her extraordinary impact and ensures that the stories of women who shaped our culture continue to inspire generations to come.”
Keeping The Homes Original Features
Architects working on the property decided to breathe some new life into the home by painting the walls a lighter blue. However, to give visitors a sense of what the home looked like before its restoration, they framed small areas of the original walls, according to the AACHAF.
Original Linoleum Flooring
Take a close look at the wood floors, and you’ll be able to spot the original linoleum flooring that was there when Nina Simone was born.
There Is No Furniture In The House
The house remains void of any furniture, which was an intentional decision made by the AACHAF. In a YouTube walkthrough of the house, Brent Legg, executive director of the AACHAF, stated they did not want to create a fake scene in the home.
“We did not want to fool a visitor with fake furnishings and curate a space that wasn’t real. We think that the architecture, the space, can give enough historical context and give us the flexibility to program it so that we can activate it and bring it to life.”
A Closer Look of The Outside
Architects working on the project didn’t simply paint and spruce the home up. They were hard at work replacing tin roof shingles and adding modern systems such as geothermal heating, fire-suppression infrastructure to help sustain the home, according to Architectural Digest.
Tree Named “Sweetie Mae”
Not only has the home been saved, but a nearly century-old Magnolia tree nicknamed “Sweetie Mae” was also saved, according to the Architectural Digest.
Rocking Chair On The Porch
Sitting on the refurbished back porch of the home is a lone rocking chair, giving visitors an almost haunting reminder of the legacy of the woman who once lived there.
Artist Rashid Johnson said in a statement to the National Trust for Historic Preservation that physical space carries memory, even if empty.
“Physical spaces carry memory in a way that transcends words. Nina Simone’s Childhood Home isn’t just a structure; it’s a vessel of her spirit, her struggle, and her genius. Preserving it gives us a place to return to. It reminds us that creativity, resistance, and beauty are born somewhere real, in rooms, on porches, in the intimacy of lived experience.”
The Home Is An Essential American Landmark
In a statement to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Executive Director of the AACHAF Brent Leggs said the home is an essential landmark to America’s artistic and cultural history.
“Preservation is an expression of what we choose to honor, and Nina Simone’s childhood home is an essential landmark in our nation’s artistic and cultural landscape. The restoration of her home affirms her rightful place in the American story, one defined by brilliance, resilience, and the power of art to shape our collective conscience. We share this moment with a coalition of national and local partners, who together dedicated their expertise and resources to safeguard this site of extraordinary significance to our nation,” Leggs told the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Watch Brent Leggs Full Walkthrough Below
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