297:. While living in Asheville, Dr. Stephens was frustrated with racial discrimination he witnessed and the perception from white Asheville residents that black people were not capable of being self-reliant or assuming the responsibilities of citizenship. George Vanderbilt and his estate superintendent Charles McNamee agreed to fund the YMI and provide an opportunity for black leaders to "demonstrate their ability to learn the art of self-government." In providing funding to the YMI, Vanderbilt's goal was to test whether the YMI could achieve financial solvency, and thereby show that the black community could self-govern. Economic self sufficiency was challenging to the black community in Asheville, however, in these post-civil war years, as they faced discrimination and wage disparity in the service sector jobs available.
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in 1895. Entrepreneurial activities were also supported in the space: the outside ground floor was dedicated as retail and business space for black-owned businesses. Rent from businesses was intended to defray expenses, contribute to payment of the loan from the building's construction, and make the
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The YMI Cultural Center continues both to provide a home for local businesses and to host a variety of cultural programs and exhibitions of art and artifacts in order to preserve the heritage of
African Americans in Buncombe County. Permanent exhibitions feature African masks and sculpture, drawings
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The YMI was designed to serve as a multipurpose space, with meeting spaces, a library and reading room, and a gymnasium. Programming in its early days included lectures by prominent
African Americans, as well as musical and dramatic performances. A musical chorus and orchestra were formed early on,
313:
In June 1906, the YMI's Board of
Directors purchased the building from the Vanderbilt Estate for $ 10,000. The YMI continued to flourish during the period of segregation, but suffered decline in use during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1980, a coalition of nine black churches purchased the building and
268:
coated masonry building with brick, stone, and wood accents. From its early days, the YMI building has housed shops, residence rooms, meeting rooms, and a wide variety of functions serving the
African American community of Asheville. The building was restored and reestablished as the YMI Cultural
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Waters, Darin J. (July 2018). "Philanthropic
Experimentation: George Vanderbilt, the YMI, and Racial Uplift Ideology in Asheville, North Carolina 1892-1906".
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and YMI officials also sought to bring performers from the wider regional and national arts scene to the area, succeeding in attracting
Elizabeth Davis,
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457:, November 9, 1891, Superintendent's Office Outgoing Correspondence Collection, Box 8, Folders 75-80, Biltmore Estate Archives.
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490:"Young Men's Institute Building-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary"
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Center in 1980, and now hosts a variety of intercultural programs and events. It is located in the
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472:"Life Beneath The Veneer: The Black Community in Asheville, North Carolina from 1793 to 1900"
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in 1892 to commission the building for the
African American men who helped build the
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Clubhouses on the
National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina
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National
Register of Historic Places in Buncombe County, North Carolina
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National
Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory
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Catherine W. Bishir; Betty Betz & Johnnie Baxter (n.d.).
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Historic district contributing properties in North Carolina
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515:"YMI Cultural Center – Blue Ridge National Heritage Area"
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Tourist attractions in Buncombe County, North Carolina
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Buildings and structures in Asheville, North Carolina
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The YMI was built after African American leaders Mr.
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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389:. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office
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1219:Tourist attractions in Asheville, North Carolina
234:, also known as the YMI Building, is a historic
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314:reestablished it as the YMI Cultural Center.
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67:Young Men's Institute Building, January 2019
1199:Buildings and structures completed in 1893
1189:African-American history of North Carolina
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575:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
37:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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355:"National Register Information System"
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453:Charles McNamee to the editor of the
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437:The North Carolina Historical Review
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412:"About Us – The YMI Cultural Center"
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360:National Register of Historic Places
319:National Register of Historic Places
317:The building has been listed on the
271:Downtown Asheville Historic District
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310:YMI financially self-sustaining.
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380:"Young Men's Institute Building"
250:and built in 1892–1893. It is a
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330:by the African-American artist
246:. It was designed by architect
244:Buncombe County, North Carolina
538:Young Men's Institute Building
232:Young Men's Institute Building
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119:Show map of the United States
18:United States historic place
1168:National Historic Landmarks
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94:Show map of North Carolina
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209:NRHP reference
134:Asheville, North Carolina
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476:UNC Chapel Hill Library
455:Asheville Daily Citizen
132:Market and Eagle Sts.,
598:Keeper of the Register
470:Waters, Darin (2012).
305:, and "Queen of Song"
289:originally approached
287:Dr. Edward S. Stephens
46:U.S. Historic district
613:National Park Service
593:Contributing property
365:National Park Service
161:35.59389°N 82.55028°W
50:Contributing property
540:at Wikimedia Commons
204:Smith, Richard Sharp
248:Richard Sharp Smith
166:35.59389; -82.55028
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180:less than one acre
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283:Isaac Dickson
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225:July 14, 1977
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1087:Transylvania
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415:. Retrieved
391:. Retrieved
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328:
321:since 1977.
316:
312:
307:Flora Batson
299:
280:
236:meeting hall
231:
230:
15:
1156:Other lists
977:Northampton
972:New Hanover
947:Mecklenburg
494:www.nps.gov
325:Current use
238:located at
164: /
140:Coordinates
1183:Categories
1117:Washington
1052:Rutherford
1042:Rockingham
1007:Perquimans
997:Pasquotank
957:Montgomery
777:Cumberland
338:References
266:pebbledash
149:35°35′38″N
872:Henderson
842:Granville
812:Edgecombe
782:Currituck
762:Cleveland
697:Brunswick
662:Alleghany
657:Alexander
645:by county
393:August 1,
240:Asheville
201:Architect
152:82°33′1″W
1062:Scotland
1032:Richmond
1027:Randolph
952:Mitchell
942:McDowell
902:Johnston
877:Hertford
852:Guilford
822:Franklin
792:Davidson
767:Columbus
747:Cherokee
727:Carteret
717:Caldwell
712:Cabarrus
702:Buncombe
682:Beaufort
652:Alamance
264:-story,
216:77000994
129:Location
1163:Bridges
1122:Watauga
1092:Tyrrell
1057:Sampson
1037:Robeson
992:Pamlico
932:Madison
922:Lincoln
897:Jackson
892:Iredell
867:Haywood
862:Harnett
857:Halifax
817:Forsyth
742:Chatham
737:Catawba
732:Caswell
277:History
259:⁄
190: (
1147:Yancey
1142:Yadkin
1137:Wilson
1132:Wilkes
1112:Warren
1072:Stokes
1067:Stanly
1012:Person
1002:Pender
987:Orange
982:Onslow
937:Martin
917:Lenoir
847:Greene
837:Graham
827:Gaston
807:Durham
802:Duplin
772:Craven
752:Chowan
722:Camden
692:Bladen
687:Bertie
586:Topics
1127:Wayne
1102:Vance
1097:Union
1082:Swain
1077:Surry
1047:Rowan
962:Moore
927:Macon
907:Jones
832:Gates
797:Davie
707:Burke
677:Avery
667:Anson
643:Lists
383:(PDF)
196:-1893
185:Built
1107:Wake
1022:Polk
1017:Pitt
967:Nash
887:Hyde
882:Hoke
787:Dare
757:Clay
672:Ashe
501:2019
419:2019
395:2014
285:and
192:1892
188:1892
177:Area
912:Lee
577:in
441:XCV
211:No.
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346:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
