The Marian Anderson Historical Residence and Museum in South Philadelphia got a much-needed financial boost Thursday.
Philadelphia Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson presented a $100,000 check to the historical site to help the non-profit with operating expenses.
Johnson was joined by Marian Anderson CEO Jillian Patricia Pirtle, director of Preservation Services for the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia Jennifer Robinson, and members of the Marian Anderson Historical Society’s board of directors.
“The Marian Anderson Museum is an important cultural institution in Philadelphia and I’m committed to finding ways to help it survive and thrive for years to come,” Johnson said.
“I’m really inspired to be participating in this project because it gives the young people in the neighborhood an opportunity to learn about their past history,” he added. “They will not only learn about the life and legacy of Marian Anderson, but hopefully it will provide seeds of hope that they too can be great individuals in our society.”
The $100,000 from the city comes at a critical time for the institution. The Marian Anderson Museum has been closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic since last March, eliminating admission fees that pay bills to keep it running.
In June 2020, three-and-half feet of water flooded the basement after several pipes burst in the house, impacting the first floor of the home and causing severe damage.
The house, which is at 762 S. Martin St. in South Philadelphia, honors the late opera singer and serves as a museum and a home to the Marian Anderson Historical Society.
Anderson purchased the rowhome in 1924 and even transformed the basement of her house into an entertainment center because at the time, African Americans were often not welcomed to go out socially.
While the house was originally built in 1857, the major plumbing had not been updated even when Anderson purchased the house. The house was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2011.
Marian Anderson was a famous opera singer and civil rights activist who broke the color barriers as the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera and on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
She toured the world with her music and serenaded U.S. presidents at their inauguration.
“The damage from the flood was massive to the structure itself including the heating system, the electrical system, and the original hardwood flooring,” Pirtle said.
“The flood also damaged the sheet music that was in frames, photographs, gowns, costumes and albums. There was so much damage to a collection of artifacts and a structure,” she added. “We were at the point of devastation, not knowing what we were going to do.”
Upon hearing about the flooding incident, members of the South of South Neighborhood Association organized a $17,000 GoFundMe to help pay for estimated repairs and cover lost tourism revenue.
Johnson was also able to commit $5,000 from the Philadelphia Activities Fund to the Marian Anderson Museum to help with operating expenses and repairs.
The $100,000 is part of the city’s fiscal year 2022 operating budget. All of the money from the city will be used to help the Marian Anderson Museum reopen to the public as soon as possible.
The Washington D.C. based National Trust for Historic Preservation recently announced a grant of $75,000 through its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to help repair the exterior of the Marian Anderson Museum.
A private Marian Anderson Memorial Fund Task Force has also been started to help create a statue of Marian Anderson and install it outside the Academy of Music in Center City where the contralto performed numerous times.
Pirtle praised Johnson for his kindness and support of the historical landmark.
“We’re grateful that Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is leading the way for support for the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society,” Pirtle said. “He understands that the Marian Anderson Museum must be preserved, lifted up and supported now and for future generations to come.
“We hope that by his great example of what he has done to support the efforts or repair and restoration to this museum that his colleagues and other political representatives of the 2nd District will follow his lead,” she added.
Pirtle said that if everything goes as planned, she hopes to reopen the museum later this year.
“Once the City of Philadelphia is able to release the funds, we can get the contracting done and get the work and repairs needed for restoration,” Pirtle said. “If those funds are able to be released quickly, we can get going on those repairs, restoration, archival and preservation and hopefully open up by October 2021.”
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