PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Germantown home of an avant-garde music legend has become a Philadelphia historic landmark.
Who was Sun Ra?
"First and foremost, [he was] a jazz musician, but he was also a poet, an author, a composer, an actor, a philosopher, a mystic," detailed Jon Farnham, executive director of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. "Really an incredible artist."
Ra was born Herman Poole Blount in Birmingham, Alabama in 1914. He became a pioneer of Afrofuturism through his art and music, and eventually called Germantown home, according to Farnham.
"His house was recently designated as historic by the Philadelphia Historical Commission," Farnham explained, "so that it will be protected going forward, a landmark that will remind us of Sun Ra and his significance."
Ra died in 1993, but the house still plays home to at least one of his original bandmates. "He incorporated many Philadelphia musicians into his band. He lived with his fellow musicians," said Farnham.
He said this designation means that the house, which recently underwent renovation after a partial collapse, will now have more safeguards to protect it.
"We'll provide assistance to the property owner to ensure that, and also through the historical commission's regulatory authority," assured Farnham.
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