PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The historic Philadelphia home of the 20th century’s leading African-American artist has been acquired by a nonprofit preservation group, ensuring that it will continue to stand in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.
Henry Ossawa Tanner and his family moved to 2908 West Diamond St. in 1872. It’s where he began painting as a teenager and lived while he studied under Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts — the only Black student at the school.
Though Tanner spent most of his adult life in Paris, he drew inspiration from his life in Philadelphia, like his renowned “The Banjo Lesson” and “The Thankful Poor” paintings.
“Some of his most popular works reference Black family life at this house,” said Christopher Rogers, Friends of the Tanner House coordinator.
The house is a national historic landmark, but by 2021, it was in danger of collapse. That’s when Rogers and others began raising awareness and funds to save it, culminating in taking possession this month.
Rogers said Tanner, with his international renown, brought attention to the house, but he was not the only exceptional Tanner. His father was an AME bishop, his sister was the first female doctor in Alabama, and his niece, Sadie Tanner Alexander, was the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in economics.
“We’re in the process of imagining the renovation and we’re going to be focused on that the rest of the year,” he said. “The work that we’re on now is expanding the vision of the Henry Ossawa Tanner House toward recognizing these other family histories.”
The nonprofit hopes for a space to host screenings, lectures, exhibitions, a research library, meeting space and residencies for artists.
