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Not your average home

Dr. Maya Angelou’s home for sale in Winston-Salem

WStoday: Late Maya Angelou home for sale on Valley Road in Winston-Salem

Turn Dr. Angelou’s home into a vision to preserve her legacy in Winston-Salem. | Photos by Brian Trainum via Mark Spain Real Estate + screenshot from The Oprah show

The property at 3240 Valley Rd. is no average house. It’s the home that belonged to the late Dr. Maya Angelou — an American author, poet, and Civil Rights activist. Dr. Angelou called Winston-Salem home after she accepted a lifetime professorship to teach at Wake Forest University in 1981.

Dr. Maya Angelou’s legacy

After Dr. Angelou died in 2014, her home was part of the Maya Angelou Foundation for two years before the current owner bought the property.

The sunroom is where Oprah Winfrey interviewed Dr. Angelou from the comfort of her couch, during which she said “this is the place that most feels like home to me.”

WStoday: Dr. Maya Angelou's sunroom at her past home on Valley Road — The sunroom feature lots of open space for creativity.
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Photo by Brian Trainum via Mark Spain Real Estate

Multiple features of the home — like the kitchen cabinets and the sunroom — maintained its authenticity. The owner wanted to preserve the essence of who Angelou was, agent Brian Trainum, with Mark Spain Real Estate, told City Editor Kellina. After she bought the property in 1991, Dr. Angelou extended part of the home because she wanted the house to have a bigger presence where she could host people regularly.

The kitchen: Winfrey’s favorite place to be

WStoday: Late Dr. Maya Angelou's kitchen on Valley Road — Dr. Maya Angelou hosted her graduate students in her home for meals while she was a professor at Wake Forest University.
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Photo by Brian Trainum via Mark Spain Real Estate

The kitchen space holds precious memories for Winfrey. “You have the kind of home I hope to have one day,” she said during during their interview at her house.

The home is over 6,400 sqft with plenty of open space and large windows reflecting the sunlight. Here are other features:

Four bedroom suites + two additional suites
Seven bathrooms
Two-car detached garage
A full-size basketball court
A shaded outdoor patio

Carrying Dr. Angelou’s vision

Trainum said the current owner is looking for an individual or institution that honors and appreciates Dr. Angelou’s legacy to take over the property.

“We want to see people’s vision. It can be whatever someone wants to bring, it’s just about keeping the legacy.”

Although the property is not yet listed for sale, Trainum said they anticipate selling the home for $550,000 to the right buyer. An open house for those interested in buying the property will be held in May.

Asked

What would you turn Dr. Angelou’s house into?

The owner wants the home to serve as a place for the community to honor the poet’s legacy.

Share your vision

Events

Friday, April 5

Live Music with Dan Brooks and Kevin Beck | Friday, April 5 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Chad’s Chai, 617 N. Liberty St., Winston-Salem | Free | The local duo will perform their soundtrack in a calm and relaxing atmosphere.
“Dead Man’s Cell Phone” | Friday, April 5 | 8 p.m. | Mountcastle Forum, Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem | $25 | Watch the story of a woman who sleepwalks through her life until she answers a dead man’s cell phone — an event that leads her to revive her life.

Saturday, April 6

Winemaker Night | Saturday, April 6 | 4:30-6:30 p.m. | The Caviste, 1100 Reynolda Rd., Winston-Salem | $5 | Taste Tuscan classics with wine expert Arianna from Corzano e Paterno, a Florence wine and cheese family farm.
Jazzed about Opera | Saturday, April 6 | 6 p.m. | Paul J. Ciener Botanical Gardens, 215 S. Main St., Kernersville | Free | Hear the sound of two worlds collide — opera and jazz. Pro tip: Bring a lawn chair or a blanket to this outdoor event.
NC State Watch Party | Saturday, April 6 | 6 p.m. | Joymongers Barrel Hall, 480 W. End Blvd., Winston-Salem | Free entry | Root on NC State in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four on the big screen and mingle with other fans.
The Breakdown: Electronic Music Jam | Saturday, April 6 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | D.O.S.E. Artist Collective, 606 Trade St. NW, Winston-Salem | Free | Experiment with electronic instruments alongside Zach McCraw — bring a keyboard, a drum machine, or anything that makes funky electric sounds.

Sunday, April 7

Maya Angelou Garden Party | Sunday, April 7 | 2-4 p.m. | Bailey Park, 445 Patterson Ave., Winston-Salem | Free | Sign up to perform a poetry reading or spoken word performance — or listen to other artists — in honor of Dr. Angelou’s literary legacy.

Monday, April 8

Latina Book Club Interest Meeting | Monday, April 8 | 6-8 p.m. | Bookmarks, 634 W. 4th St., Ste. 110, Winston-Salem | Free | Take part in a gathering that celebrates Latin literature and culture — the meeting will be conducted in English and Spanish.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board

Drink

Celebrate National Beer Day this Sunday at Truist Stadium’s newest bar

Some other new beverages to look out for at Truist Stadium include Tarp Water (the Dash’s take on ranch water), Dash City Beer by Foothills Brewing, and customizable teas (add flavors like peach, raspberry, and strawberry) in the Flow Club. | Photo provided by the Winston-Salem Dash

Dash fans have more opportunities than ever to grab an ice cold beverage at Truist Stadium, including at the new The Lost Worlds Bar in left field, presented by Lost Worlds Brewing. It features picnic tables + a seating area for fans to enjoy the bar and the game.

The Wicked Weed Bar (Centerfield) and the Foothills Flight Deck (Right Field) also offer delicious brews with first-come, first-served seating.

Purchase tickets to enjoy the new bar and a lineup of new beverages this season.

Buy tickets

News Notes

Open

The old Kaleideum space has a new owner. Compleat KiDZ opened its doors to the Winston-Salem community at 390 S. Liberty St. The pediatric outpatient clinic offers rehab services to patients under 18 years old.

Traffic

The Meadowlark Drive construction project has a new completion date. The $8 million project that began in the summer of 2021 is expected to be complete in December instead of October. (WXII 12 News)

Winstonian

Smitty’s Notes is saying farewell to the Winston-Salem community. Founded in 1997, the online news source reported on the city’s growth and development. The owner, Jeff Smith, said he intends to remain active in the community and will continue to participate in a number of community groups.

Community

Buy fresh produce at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market and donate some to support pantries across Forsyth County. Starting Saturday, April 12 through the month of September, NC Cooperative Extension will collect food donations at the Donation Station table every second Saturday of the month from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Plan Ahead

Dress to impress for a chance to win a prize at Joyner’s adult prom on Thursday, April 25. Drink special cocktails at the “Under The Sea” themed event and dance the night away to the beats of live music from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. — there’s no cost to attend.

Sports

Reynolds High School alumnus Mike Russell is taking over leadership of the boys’ basketball team. He takes the place of head coach Billy Martin, who retired at the end of the season. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Plan Ahead

Exciting headliner alert: SummerLark 2024 announced that Barenaked Ladies will headline the benefit concert, happening Saturday, May 11 at Bailey Park. The annual event supports Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Cancer Patient Support Program to ensure no one faces cancer alone. Learn about the program + snag tickets.*

Eat

Get ready to fire up your tastebuds: Hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country, the Southeastern BBQ Showdown is happening Friday-Saturday, June 14-15 at Segra Park. Sample world-class barbecue, groove along to beats by the Band of Oz, and catch a spectacular fireworks show. See details + snag tickets.*

Wellness

BetterHelp creates a safe, stigma-free space where you can be your authentic self and explore your concerns. Get 25% off your first month of therapy.*

Outdoors

Safety first

Safety reminders when watching the solar eclipse

WStoday: Partial solar eclipse will happen in Winston-Salem

Keep your eyes safe during the eclipse. | Photo by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Watch the moon pass between the sun and earth for a brief period of time on Monday, April 8. While Winston-Salem won’t see the solar eclipse in its entirety — it’ll still be possible to view ~80% of this rare celestial occurrence. The partial phase will last between 70 and 80 minutes.

Here are three reminders to keep your eyes safe while watching the eclipse:

Make sure you wear eclipse glasses.
Do not use your sunglasses or stare directly at the sun with the naked eye.
Wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing to protect your skin.

If you can’t watch the eclipse in person or would rather see it from the comfort of your own home, you can watch NASA’s livestream of the event.

The next total eclipse is projected to happen in August 2044.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Kellina

From the editor

Touring late Dr. Angelou’s home was such a significant moment for me. Seeing where she wrote her poems and sitting in the room Oprah Winfrey interviewed her brought in indescribable feeling of joy. Dr. Angelou is one of the writers that influenced my work as a writer for many years. I was so honored to write this piece to help preserve her legacy in the Twin City.

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