The Erma Hayman House, home to resident and community advocate Erma Hayman (1907-2009) for more than 60 years, received $100k in funding from the African American Cultural Heritage Fund, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
 
This grant funding, approved by Mayor Lauren McLean and City Council members on October 15, 2024, contributes additional money to the adopted FY2025 budget, and supports the employment of a program assistant at the house. This position will increase the site’s full-time staff to two and boost organizational capacity for two years.
 
The Erma Hayman House has been under the stewardship of the City of Boise’s Department of Arts & History since 2018 and open to the public since 2022. Today, the Erma Hayman House serves as a historic site and cultural center dedicated to amplifying the stories of historically underrepresented communities, past and present, and working-class history through inclusive, culturally mindful public programs.
 
“We are grateful to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund for their support of the Erma Hayman House and our dedication to preserving, contextualizing, and interpreting Mrs. Hayman’s story, the story of her house, and the history of Boise’s River Street Neighborhood,” said Arts & History Director Jennifer Stevens. “This funding will help us meet the site’s increasing demands for visitor services, community relations and outreach, programming, exhibition planning, facilities management, and more. This two-year bridge will also give us the necessary time to generate permanent funding for the position.”
 
"The National Grant Program represents the Action Fund's enduring commitment to telling the full American story – one that makes room for Black resilience, creativity, and achievement," said Brent Leggs, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. "History is crucial to our nation's understanding of where we've come from, who we are today, and how we envision our future. These grants will support critical preservation efforts to revitalize and sustain tangible links to our shared past that we hope will inspire future generations."
 
The Erma Hayman House is one of 30 sites nationwide to receive a total of $3 million in grant funding to advance ongoing preservation activities for historic sites, buildings, and landscapes that represent Black cultural heritage. With more than $140 million raised, the Action Fund is the largest U.S. resource dedicated to the preservation of African American historic places.
 
To learn more about this program and this year’s grant recipients, visit savingplaces.org/ActionFund.
 
To learn more about the position functions and requirements, and to apply, visit cityofboise.org/JoinUs.

About the Erma Hayman House
The Erma Hayman House is a historic site and cultural center that shares a dignity-centered history of the River Street Neighborhood through preservation, interpretation, and culturally mindful public programs. Through collaborative partnerships, the Erma Hayman House offers inclusive on-site programs and experiences that seek to directly support, serve, and amplify Boise’s diverse community. More information: ErmaHaymanHouse.org

About the Boise City Department of Arts & History 
The Department of Arts & History is Boise’s local cultural agency dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging through accessible and place-based arts and history. Our mission is to cultivate a distinct sense of place which reflects Boise’s rich past, diverse communities, and unique natural setting. Our operations empower and serve Boise residents as we create opportunities that nurture and sustain Boise’s past and its creative economy. More information: BoiseArtsAndHistory.org