Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson
Carl Van Vechten · Public domain · source
Name	Marian Anderson
Caption	Anderson in 1940
Birth name	Marian Anderson
Birth date	27 February 1897
Birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death date	08 April 1993
Death place	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation	Contralto
Years active	1924–1965
Spouse	Orpheus Fisher, 1943, 1986
Awards	Presidential Medal of Freedom (1963), Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1991), Congressional Gold Medal (1977)

Marian Anderson. Marian Anderson was an American contralto whose dignified artistry and grace under pressure made her a pivotal, if sometimes reluctant, symbol in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Her landmark 1939 open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial, staged after she was barred from performing at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, became a defining moment in the nation's cultural and social history. Anderson's career demonstrated that excellence could challenge prejudice, fostering a broader national conversation on equality and the role of government in protecting citizens' rights.

Early Life and Musical Training

Marian Anderson was born in 1897 in Philadelphia, into a working-class family. Her early musical talent was evident in her singing at the Union Baptist Church, where she became known as the "baby contralto." Despite her family's limited means, her community raised funds for her to take voice lessons. She applied to the Philadelphia Music Academy but was denied admission due to her race, a formative experience with institutional discrimination. She continued studying privately with noted teachers, including Giuseppe Boghetti, who recognized her extraordinary gift. Her training was supported by the National Association of Negro Musicians, which awarded her its first scholarship in 1921, enabling further study.

Rise to Prominence and European Acclaim

After winning a competition sponsored by the New York Philharmonic in 1925, Anderson began to gain recognition. However, facing significant racial barriers in the United States, she embarked on a highly successful European tour in the early 1930s, a common path for Black artists of the era. She studied in Berlin and performed to great acclaim in major European capitals, including London, Paris, and Vienna. The renowned conductor Arturo Toscanini famously remarked that hers was a voice "heard once in a hundred years." This international success forced American impresarios, notably Sol Hurok, to take notice, and he became her manager, booking her in major U.S. venues upon her return. Her 1935 recital at Town Hall in New York City was a critical triumph, solidifying her domestic reputation.

The 1939 Lincoln Memorial Concert

In 1939, Anderson's manager sought to book her for a concert at Constitution Hall, then Washington's largest indoor venue, owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The DAR, citing a "white artists only" policy, refused the booking. The ensuing controversy drew national attention. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, a member of the DAR, resigned in protest and helped orchestrate an alternative. With the support of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes, an open-air concert was arranged on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939. Broadcast nationally by NBC, the event drew an integrated crowd of over 75,000 people and millions of radio listeners. Anderson's performance, which included "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", was a profound statement on American ideals and a direct rebuke to segregation.

Significance in the Civil Rights Movement

While Anderson was not a political activist, her dignified persona and the circumstances of the 1939 concert made her an enduring icon. The event is widely seen as a precursor to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, which also used the Lincoln Memorial as its stage. It demonstrated the power of federal intervention to uphold civil rights, with the Roosevelt administration directly facilitating the concert. Anderson's subsequent career broke further barriers: in 1955, she became the first African American to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera, singing Ulrica in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. She also served as a delegate to the United Nations and as a goodwill ambassador for the U.S. Department of State. Her life exemplified a model of advancement through merit and personal integrity, which resonated with both gradualist and more direct-action approaches within the broader movement.

Later Career and Legacy

Anderson continued an active international concert career into the early 1960s. Her farewell tour culminated in a 1965 performance at Carnegie Hall. Among her many honors, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1963, the Congressional Gold Medal in 1977, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991. She published an autobiography, My Lord, What a Morning, in 1956. Anderson's legacy is preserved in institutions like the Marian Anderson Historical Society and through numerous artistic and educational awards established in her name. Her 1939 concert remains a touchstone in American history, symbolizing the struggle for equality and the role of artistic excellence in challenging social norms. She passed away in 1993 in Portland, Oregon, leaving behind a record of monumental achievement that helped pave the way for future generations of performers and activists.