Marian Anderson - The Nation's Contralto

Marian Anderson was a black female contralto whoAmerican career and she spent the next four years
touched the world with her rich soulful voice. Andersonperforming in US and Europe.
is the first black person to perform at the New YorkRacism and Civil Rights
Metropolitan Opera. The winner of numerousThe sluggishness of Anderson's career in the United
prestigious awards including the American Medal ofStates was a direct function of racism. While she
Freedom (1963), the National Medal of Arts (1986) andperformed over 70 recitals in America between 1935
the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1991),and 1939 she was not allowed to sleep in many major
Anderson worked to overcome racial barriers duringhotels or to eat in many prominent restaurants. The
her long and illustrious life. Considered one of the mostadage, "...you don't sleep where you sing" held true for
important Black Americans in History continues toAnderson. Her move to Europe to launch her career
touch the world through her music and legacy.was one which many black performers would follow.
The Early YearsThe first major statement by Anderson and her
Marian Anderson was born February 27, 1897 insupporters of Anderson against racial intolerance
Philadelphia to a devoutly Christian home. She beganoccurred in 1939 after the Daughters of the American
singing in her church choir at the age of six. Her talentRevolution refused to allow Anderson to perform to
as a performer was apparent, even at that age andan integrated audience in Washington, D.C. at
her family began taking her to perform at otherConstitution Hall. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was so
churches and various community functions. Andersonindignant about this refusal by DAR that she resigned
had minimal education as a youth. Her family could notfrom the organization. Thousands of members
afford to pay for her musical training or to attend highfollowed suit, and the ranks of DAR were decimated.
school. Her family and the black community inPresident & Mrs. Roosevelt, along with Anderson's
Philadelphia banded together to pay for her to takemanager and the Secretary of the Interior, arranged
private singing lessons and to go to high school. Shefor Anderson to perform an open air concert on the
graduated from high school in 1921.steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The performance drew
In 1925 Anderson won a singing contest sponsored by75,000 people of all races and a radio audience in the
the New York Philharmonic. This opened roads for hermillions. This concert, which I considered the first Civil
to move to New York to perform and to continue herrights March on Washington D.C., was a national
private studies. Under the guidance of her vocal trainersensation; first because of the strength and beauty of
and with the continued support of her family andher performance. Secondly, it was prominent for
community, she held her first formal concert in Newmaking a statement on race relationships in the United
York at Carnegie hall in 1928. In spite of this majorStates and the ability of one woman's talent to bring
accomplishment and astounding performance,together a diversity of people to celebrate one thing.
Anderson's career never took off in the United States.Freedom! The original film documentary of this concert
This was due to racial prejudice which barred her fromhas been preserved in the National Film Registry in the
performing in other venues. Anderson subsequentlyUnited States Library of Congress. Anderson was
moved to Europe in 1928 where she was able tohighly active in the Civil Rights Movement giving benefit
launch a very successful career in classical music.concerts for organizations such as the NAACP,
Anderson reluctantly returned to the United States withCongress of Racial Equality, and the America -Israel
her lifetime manager in 1935 to perform at the NewCongress.
York Town Hall. The favorable reviews boosted her