Like historic sites across the country, the Marian Anderson Historical Society closed with the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March. However, the museum has been confronted with a second crisis; in June, pipes in the house burst, flooding the basement with three-and-a-half feet of water. The small site is now seeking funds to recover from this disaster.
The water caused nearly $25,000 worth of damage. The museum’s floors, which were original to the house, need to be restored. Many of the singer and civil rights icon’s artifacts that were on display in the basement were also damaged, including a framed photograph of Anderson and Paul Robeson. Neighbors with the South of South Neighborhood Association have organized a GoFundMe campaign (which you can still donate to) to raise $17,000 for the museum. However, as museum CEO Jillian Patricia Pirtle told BillyPenn the museum’s losses during this time have been much higher.
Pirtle estimates that the museum has lost as much as $17,000 in tourism and event revenue. The museum closed right before the beginning of its annual fundraising concert series, and although the series has proceeded virtually, donations have been lower than usual. The Marian Anderson Historical Society did not qualify for federal relief in the form of a PPP loan because it did not employee enough people.
“It’s just been a heartbreaking situation. My heart has just been so heavy that there was no help to be found,” Pirtle told BillyPenn.
Marian Anderson was a renowned singer known for a range of styles and a civil rights champion. Famously, she sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in defiance of segregation laws that prevented her from performing at Constitution Hall. In the 1930s, Anderson studied in Europe. While abroad, Anderson challenged Nazi-imposed restrictions on Black people.
The Marian Anderson Historical Society is currently accepting donations and will be holding another virtual fundraising concert on September 5th.