Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A birthday celebration to be held Feb. 22 at Roseland

TRYON—A birthday party will be held for the late Nina Simone, who was born in and grew up in Tryon on Feb. 22 at the Roseland Center. 

There are a few gatherings planned over the next several weeks for Nina Simone by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

The birthday celebration will be held on what would have been Simone’s 85th birthday at the Roseland Center, located at 56 Peake Street, Tryon. Along with the birthday celebration, people who attend will be able to learn more about the project to restore Simone’s birthplace home and to provide input on the future use of the home with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

The Feb. 22 event is being done in partnership with the Roseland Center. 

The Roseland Center birthday celebration will be held from 4-7 p.m. 

Then on Saturday, March 21 from 11 a.m. -1 p.m. the community is invited to a discussion on Simone’s childhood home at St. Luke’s C.M.E. Church, located at 462 Markham Road, Tryon. 

People will be able to discuss ideas there on the future use of the house and its impacts on the neighborhood. 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation will hold another event at the New Bethel A.M.E. Zion Church, located at 263 Forest Street, Forest City on Saturday, March 21 as well, from 5-7 p.m. 

The community is invited to this event to learn more about the restoration of Simone’s home and to share ideas on its future use. 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation designated Simone’s childhood home as a national treasure in 2018. Since the designation, the National Trust has worked with local partners in North Carolina to restore the home and to discuss ideas for its future use to honor the legacy of Simone. 

Refreshments will be provided at all three upcoming events. 

For more information visit SavingPlaces.org/NinaSimone.