Seymour Persky (1922–2015) is the Chicago attorney, preservationist, and philanthropist who ensured that the James Charnley House would forever be open and available as an educational resource to the public. He did so by donating the National Historic Landmark to the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) in 1995 to serve as its international headquarters. SAH relocated from Philadelphia to Chicago that summer and opened the house to the public for guided tours in May 1996. To recognize his efforts to preserve the Charnley House, the Society’s Board decided to honor Persky by renaming the house.
To get to know the man behind one of the most generous gifts to the Society in its history, former SAH Executive Director Pauline Saliga conducted an oral history interview with Persky in 2004 to learn more about his background and his passion for collecting architectural fragments and decorative arts.
Read the SAH obituary for Seymour Persky.