Salerno applies love of music to Blind Boone Home

Salerno has retired twice but now stays active in the community.

By Angela Case

Published Dec. 8, 2009

Lucille Salerno is motivated by music.

Salerno, a strong force behind the effort to restore downtown Columbia's John William "Blind" Boone Home, said her interest in the project was spurred by her lifelong love of ragtime music.

When she was a child growing up in New York, Sunday afternoons in her home revolved around music, Salerno said.

"My mother played, and my uncle played," she said. "It was something I really didn't even know I loved. I just loved it."

Salerno moved to Columbia in 1974 when her then-husband took a position on the faculty at MU.

Since then, Salerno has earned a doctorate from MU, worked for several local companies and retired — twice.

After her second retirement, she returned as a volunteer for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Since 2005, she has worked as director of the institute.

Adam Newman, who has worked with Salerno at the institute for two years, said she treats her co-workers like family.

"She always goes out of her way to be very complimenting, almost to the point where I get embarrassed sometimes," Newman said. "I've learned a lot from her about working with people. It's been a great experience all around."

Salerno, who is married to "a very understanding husband" and has no children, said she likes to keep busy and does not plan to retire a third time.

Salerno's involvement with the Blind Boone Home stemmed from her longing to find something familiar after moving hundreds of miles away from home.

"When I came to Missouri, of course it was quite a change, and I was missing a lot of things," she said. "One of the things that made me feel more comfortable in this part of the world was the wonderful music that had been born here, that I already loved."

Salerno said it is important to preserve Boone's legacy because his ragtime pieces represented the marriage of European and African musical styles, leading to the development of jazz and other forms of American music.

"Jazz is a scion of ragtime," she said. "And it all happened here."

In an effort to promote Boone's legacy in Columbia, Salerno founded the Blind Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival, which has been held every year since 1991.

Lorah Steiner, executive director of the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Salerno is a very strong, committed person who makes things happen.

"She's been a passionate promoter of Blind Boone's music," she said. "Everything she has done through the festival and heritage foundation has helped create that awareness."

A few years after the inaugural festival, the then-owner of the Blind Boone Home announced plans to sell the house and offered a discount to anyone interested in renovating it. Salerno and a group of about 20 other Columbia residents from all walks of life teamed up to raise the money, and thanks to their efforts, the Columbia purchased the home Nov. 10, 2000.

The John William Boone Heritage Foundation raised enough money to prevent the structure from sustaining further damage, but lacked funds to advance progress until 2008. At this time, the city, together with the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, was able to provide funds for the restoration and repainting of the Boone home's exterior.

"I had tears in my eyes when I saw it," Salerno said of the restored building. "I just couldn't believe the transition."

Salerno credited Assistant City Manager Paula Hertwig Hopkins for the recent progress.

"She's the heroine in this story," the always humble Salerno said.

The foundation is launching a capital campaign in February that aims to raise $1 million to cover the restoration of the home's interior. Salerno said the building would eventually become a museum complete with interactive exhibits and re-enactors who will educate visitors about Boone and his place in history.

"It's not going to be a small museum filled with stuffed furniture," Salerno said. "It's going to live."