October 9, 2018, marked a monumental day in the history of The John and Alice Coltrane Home. An estimated 200 people came together to celebrate the National Trust for Historic Preservation designating the Home as a “National Treasure.” This decision comes after The Home was placed on the National Trusts list of the 11 Most Endangered Cultural sites in the US in 2011 and the continued effort to make The Home a valuable community asset. The event was filled with music, friendship, and family as The John and Alice Coltrane Home welcomed community members onto the property to witness this historic announcement. Attendees of all ages got the exclusive opportunity to be some of the first people to step foot into the home and explore its history in a work in progress state.
News crews such as CBS, NBC, and News 12 Long Island were in attendance to provide widespread news coverage for the event. A speaker’s podium was set up on The Homes front porch where members from the National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded The Home its honor. The National Trust pledged to aid The Coltrane Home reach its goals by helping to securing grants through the assistance of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF). The AACHAF specifically supports preservationists and historic sites that specialize in African American history in their journey to become sustainable cultural resources. Coltrane family members such as Michelle Coltrane also took the podium to share a few words about how this designation is impactful to the Coltrane legacy overall.
In honor of The Home being deemed a national treasure, The John and Alice Coltrane Home bestowed two musicians with special honors during the event. Musician Derek Trucks was one of the musicians in attendance who was welcomed as an honorary board member of The John and Alice Coltrane Home. Trucks spoke about how influential John Coltrane has been to his career as a musician and was honored to be included in the legacy of The John and Alice Coltrane Home. Jazz giant and original Coltrane Quintet member McCoy Tyner was also recognized as an honorary board member during this event.
The National Treasure status awarded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation will allow The John and Alice Coltrane Home to become a step closer to the future that has been envisioned for The Home. Ron Stein, the 2018 president of The John and Alice Coltrane Home, explained that the goal for The Home has always been to empower and educate young people and students far beyond the extent of jazz music exclusively. Those who visit The Home once its restoration is complete will leave feeling empowered and inspired by the legacy of the Coltranes.
