Dubose Heyward House facts for kids
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Dubose Heyward House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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76 Church Street, Charleston, South Carolina
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 76 Church St., Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1919 |
| Part of | Charleston Historic District (ID66000964) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000749 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHLDCP | October 9, 1960 |
The Dubose Heyward House is a special historic home located at 76 Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina. This two-story building was once the home of a famous writer named Dubose Heyward. He lived here from 1919 to 1924.
Dubose Heyward (1885–1940) wrote a very important book called Porgy. This book was one of the first to show African-Americans in the Southern United States in a positive and respectful way. Because of its history and connection to Heyward, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1971. This means it's a place of national importance!
About the Heyward House
The Heyward House is found in the beautiful Charleston Historic District. It sits on the east side of Church Street. The house has two stories and features a tile roof. Its outside walls are covered in stucco.
Today, this historic house is connected to a larger, three-story building next to it. The house itself is not famous for its unique design. However, it is special because of who lived there. Some changes have been made inside since Heyward's time. For example, walls were removed to make the dining and bedrooms bigger.
Who Was Dubose Heyward?
Dubose Heyward was born in 1885 in Charleston. His family was once very well-known. However, they faced tough times. This meant Dubose had to work many different jobs when he was young.
He became an important figure in Southern literature. This was a time in the 1910s when many great writers from the South began to emerge. In 1920, he even helped start the Poetry Society of South Carolina.
In 1925, Heyward moved to North Carolina. There, he wrote his most famous book, Porgy. This novel was groundbreaking for its time. It showed a Southern African-American character in a full and human way. It was not meant to be funny or to push a certain idea.
Porgy later inspired a very popular folk opera. This opera was called Porgy and Bess and was created by George Gershwin. The opera made the character of Porgy famous all over America. Dubose Heyward lived in this house in Charleston between about 1919 and 1924, during an important period of his life.
