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Want a Chance to Go Inside Villa Lewaro? Start With a Pledge

As the National Trust and the Doley family look ahead to potential new uses for the home, we would also like to extend an offer to supporters of the project -- supporters like you -- to join us for a possible visit.
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The National Trust for Historic Preservation protects significant places representing our diverse cultural experience by taking direct action and inspiring broad public support.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation protects significant places representing our diverse cultural experience by taking direct action and inspiring broad public support.
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The National Trust hosted several influential writers and bloggers from the New York City area in August 2014 to tour historic Villa Lewaro.

Written by Jessica Pumphrey, Associate Manager, Public Affairs

In the course of all the Madam C.J. Walker stories this week, one word has come up more than any other: dream.

Walker called her home, Villa Lewaro, her "dream of dreams" -- the perfect phrase for a place that put her ingenuity, acumen, and hard work on display. And as this week's series shows, her influence continues to reverberate through history as she made history tangible for a writer, inspired an entrepreneur to start her own business, created a space for African-Americans to "do big things," and built a "monument" that speaks to the power of the American dream.

So now that you've experienced her remarkable legacy as well, maybe you have a dream of your own: to see Villa Lewaro in person. Here's how you can go one step further in making it happen -- and help save the estate at the same time.

To date, Villa Lewaro is privately owned by Ambassador Harold E. Doley, Jr. and his wife Mrs. Doley. For more than 20 years, they have been diligent stewards of Villa Lewaro, investing significant resources to restore it.

As the National Trust and the Doley family look ahead to potential new uses for the home, we would also like to extend an offer to supporters of the project -- supporters like you -- to join us for a possible visit.


Guests enter the mansion's historic blue doors, which open into the main hall.

Want to be the first to know about an exclusive tour of the estate? Sign the pledge today to show your support for the continued protection of Villa Lewaro, and we'll be sure to notify you first about chances to go behind-the-scenes at Villa Lewaro. (More details will be released in the coming weeks.)

So for now, all you have to do
pledge your support
, share with a friend (or seven), and keep an eye on your inbox for more info on how you can experience the grandeur that is Madam C.J. Walker's Villa Lewaro. Thank you for your help in keeping the dream alive!

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Learn more about the potential new uses for Villa Lewaro. You can also donate to our campaign to save Villa Lewaro for the benefit of future generations.

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african americansMadam C.J. WalkerAfrican-American historyHistoryNational Trust for Historic Preservation
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