Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was a vibrant singer who overcame racial barriers and was the first Black person to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
In case you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome! Every weekday, we’re telling the stories of women from throughout history and around the world that you may not know, but definitely should. Each month is themed and I’m thrilled to introduce our new theme for August: Musicians.
Today’s musician was a vibrant singer who overcame racial barriers. She was the first Black person to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Let’s talk about Marian Anderson.
Marian was born in South Philadelphia in 1897. Her mother was a former schoolteacher, and her father sold ice and coal. Marian was the eldest of three children.
Marian’s family belonged to the Union Baptist Church. She joined the choir at age 6 and learned all the parts—soprano, alto, tenor, and bass—to the songs they performed. The choir nicknamed her “Baby Contralto.” The choirmaster deeply believed in Marian and supported her throughout her early childhood. When Marian’s father died when Marian was 12, the church began a “Marian Anderson’s Future Fund,” which paid for lessons taught by Philadelphia’s top vocal instructors.
Marian wowed audiences with the depth and range of her voice. She learned music quickly, and many likened the sound of her voice to velvet. As a teenager, Marian regularly performed and made as much as five dollars for a show--$75 in today’s money.
After high school, Marian attempted to enroll in the Philadelphia Music Academy, but she was rejected on the basis of race. Marian maintained her determination and continued to study privately with financial help from Philadelphia’s Black community.
She began to work with vocal coach Giuseppe Boghetti. She brought him to tears with her audition piece, “Deep River”.
In 1924, Giuseppe held a recital for Marian at the New York City Town Hall. Marian’s discomfort with signing in foreign languages was highlighted by critics and almost ended her career.
But Marian’s big break came in 1925 when she won first prize in a singing competition sponsored by the New York Philharmonic, beating out more than 300 performers. As a result, she sang with the orchestra in concert.
Following the performance, Marian was signed by a concert manager. Racial prejudice and the Great Depression made it difficult for her to get gigs in the U.S. so Marian moved to Europe.
Marian was celebrated by European audiences and famed musicians. She smoothly delivered songs in Russian, German, and French, and quickly built a dedicated following. But her time in Europe was enshadowed by the growing rise of fascism, and in 1935, she was denied permission to perform at the Salzburg Festival. Marian showed up anyway and performed night after night at an adjacent venue. It was at this concert of defiance that Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini said: “A voice like yours is heard once in a hundred years.”
In 1935, Marian returned to New York’s Town Hall. The day before the show, she fell and broke her ankle. But Marian soldiered on: she stood on one foot during the entire concert and wore a floor-length gown to conceal her cast.
In the late 30s, Marian gave 70 recitals a year throughout the US.
In 1936, Marian became the first African American to perform at the White House, singing before Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Marian and Eleanor became lifelong friends, and she was frequently asked back by the Roosevelts to perform for heads of state.
Still, Marian’s fame did not stop her from facing discrimination. In 1937, she was denied a hotel room before performing at Princeton, and ended up staying with Albert Einstein. They also developed a friendship that lasted until his death.
In 1939, Howard University attempted to feature Marian in their concert series in Washington D.C.’s Constitution Hall. But the Daughters of the American Revolution who owned the venue, prohibited Black performers on their stage. The rejection was highly publicized and led to massive outcry.
Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the organization and wrote, “I am in complete disagreement with the attitude taken in refusing Constitution Hall to a great artist.” Eleanor then gave Marian the opportunity to perform at the Lincoln Memorial, where 75,000 listeners gathered and cheered Marian on as she delivered her set with tears in her eyes. It was the largest turnout at the site since Charles A. Lindbergh's arrival to D.C. in 1927. Two months later, Eleanor presented Marian with the NAACP’s Spingarn Award, which celebrates the outstanding achievement of an African American.
Following the performance, in 1942, the D.A.R came around and invited Marian to sing at Constitution Hall as part of a benefit for the American Red Cross. Reflecting on this moment, Marian said: "When I finally walked onto the stage of Constitution Hall, I felt no different than I had in other halls. There was no sense of triumph. I felt that it was a beautiful concert hall and I was very happy to sing there.”
In 1955, at age 57, Marian became the first Black singer to perform with the Metropolitan Opera. She played Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. Author Rosalyn M. Story wrote of the significance of her performance: “Anderson, whose career had quietly and continuously broken barriers, dissolved hostilities, and awakened the consciousness of an entire country, was the only singer whose presence could signify the real meaning of the event.”
Marian continued to perform in the 1950s and 60s. She sang at the inaugurations of both John F Kennedy Jr and Dwight D. Eisenhower, who named her a delegate to the 13th General Assembly of the United Nations. In 1963, she performed at the March on Washington, and Lyndon Johnson presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She also made an effort to help younger singers by establishing the Marian Anderson Scholarship.
In 1965, Marian gave her final performance. She retired to her farm in Danbury, Connecticut with her husband Orpheus Fisher. They were married for forty three years, until his death in 1986.
In 1993, Marian died of heart failure. She was 96 years old. Over 2,000 mourners attended her memorial, held at Carnegie Hall.
Marian’s nephew, composer James DePreist, said “She knew what she wanted to do, she knew that no one should be in her way preventing her from doing it because of her race. And I think she probably felt that she was going to be clearing a path, not just for herself, but for others to follow.”
All month, we’re talking about Musicians. For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @Encyclopedia Womannica. You can follow me directly on twitter @jennymkaplan.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!