Dawn Carroll is on a quest to ensure the legacy of Mary Cardwell Dawson (1894-1962), who founded the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC) in 1941. Carroll has turned her sights on awakening the preservation and design community to the plight of the victorian mansion home of the NNOC, which has fallen into significant disrepair. She will present the case for the house to hundreds of preservationists with a 5-minute “Lightning Talk” at this year’s Historic New England Summit, November 2 and 3. Her forthcoming CD “Songs for Mary” in collaboration with Boston rock veteran Jon Butcher is destined to be the soundtrack for a new stage musical. Visit www.SongsForMary.com for more information and to make a donation.