Marian Anderson House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Marian Anderson House
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Marian Anderson House, June 2011
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 762 South Martin Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1870, c. 1925, c. 1940 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000198 |
| Added to NRHP | April 14, 2011 |
The Marian Anderson House is a special old home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's in a part of the city called Southwest Center City. This house was built around 1870. It's a two-story brick house, like many others built close together, called a rowhouse. It was designed in a style called Italianate, which was popular back then.
This house is important because the famous opera singer and civil rights hero, Marian Anderson, lived here. She bought the house in 1924. That same year, she made history by being the first African-American concert artist to record spiritual songs for a big American music company. Marian Anderson lived in this house until 1943. Today, the house is home to the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society, where you can learn all about her life.
Contents
The House's Story
The Marian Anderson House was built around 1870. It started as a two-story brick rowhouse in the Italianate style. This style often includes features like tall windows and decorative cornices.
Around 1925, a studio was added above the kitchen area. The house was then updated quite a bit around 1940. This historic home was where Marian Anderson lived from 1924 to 1943.
In April 2011, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important place in American history.
About Marian Anderson
Marian Anderson was born in the same neighborhood as this house, about 27 years after it was built. She became a world-famous opera singer. She was also a strong voice for civil rights. Her life and music inspired many people.
Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society
Today, the Marian Anderson House is home to the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society. This organization helps people learn about Marian Anderson's amazing life and achievements.
The museum was started by Blanche Burton-Lyles. Its current leader is Jillian Patricia Pirtle. They work to keep Marian Anderson's legacy alive.
Fixing Up the House
In 2020, the house had a problem when some pipes burst. This caused a lot of damage to the building. Many items that belonged to Marian Anderson were also damaged.
In July 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced good news. They planned to give the museum $75,000 to help fix the outside of the house. Another group, the Marian Anderson Memorial Fund Task Force, is also helping. They are raising money to build a monument to Marian Anderson at the Academy of Music. They also plan to use some of their funds to help with more repairs to the house.
See also
- Marian Anderson: The Lincoln Memorial Concert
- List of music museums
