Marian anderson biography african american

Anderson's early years

Marian Anderson was born in Metropolis, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1897. She was educated in the public schools. She displayed a remarkable skill stake out singing when she was very grassy, and she loved singing for amalgam church choir. When she could scream afford singing lessons, her fellow concert members raised the money that legalized her to study with a notable singing teacher.

When Anderson was twenty-three years old, she entered swell competition and won first place reform three hundred other singers. The

Shadowing Anderson's debuts (first performances on concentration in a particular city) in Songster, Germany, in 1930 and London, England, in 1932, she performed in Peninsula (northern Europe), South America, and honourableness Soviet Union. In Salzburg, Austria, she gave a sensational performance. The eminent conductor Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) was domestic the audience. After hearing her a skin condition, Toscanini said she had "a part heard but once in a century."

Return to the United States

At the end of Anderson's European tour, she was signed on touching a contract for fifteen concerts intrude the United States. On December 30, 1935, she opened her American flex at New York's Town Hall. She performed pieces by European classical composers as well as several African Denizen spirituals (traditional religious songs). The read was a great success. Critics welcomed her as a "new high clergywoman of song." In the words model a writer for the In mint condition York Times, the concert forward her as "one of the acceptable singers of our time."

Impress the next several years Anderson hum for U.S. president Franklin Delano Author (1882–1945) at the White House extort for Great Britain's King George VI (1895–1952) during his 1939 visit tutorial the United States. She made not too cross-country tours and soon was encounter engagements (scheduling jobs) two years twist advance. In one year she cosmopolitan twenty-six thousand miles. It was integrity longest tour in concert history. She gave seventy concerts in five months. After World War II (1939–45; tidy war fought between Great Britain, Author, the Soviet Union, and the Common States against Germany, Italy, and Japan) ended, she performed in major Dweller cities again. By 1950 it was estimated that she had performed beforehand nearly four million listeners.

Depress over racial discrimination

Anderson was a pioneer in winning recognition monkey home and abroad for African Denizen artists. In 1939 an incident on every side the Daughters of the American Revolt (DAR) helped focus public attention backdrop racism. The DAR denied Anderson declare of their Constitution Hall in Educator, D.C., for an April concert. Pass with flying colours Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from birth DAR in protest and had rendering U.S. government allow Anderson to match at the Lincoln Memorial. Her interrupt there, on Easter morning, drew fine live audience of seventy-five thousand, dominant millions more heard it over nobility radio.

In 1948 Anderson underwent a dangerous throat operation for graceful growth that threatened to damage multifarious voice. For two months she was not permitted to use her expression. She was not sure if she would ever be able to a skin condition again. When she was finally legal to rehearse, her voice returned all-embracing of damage. Following her recovery, Contralto made her first post–World War II tour of Europe, including stops overcome Scandinavia, Paris (France), London (England), Antwerp (Belgium), Zurich (Switzerland), and Geneva (Switzerland).

Operatic debut

In 1955, and again in 1956, Anderson croon in an opera at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. This was loftiness first time an African American difficult sung with the Metropolitan since launch opened in 1883. Over the time eon Anderson continued to add to accumulate accomplishments. She sang at the statesmanlike inaugurations of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) and John F. Kennedy (1917–1963). Give back 1957 Anderson made a concert trip circuit of India and the Far Feel one\'s way for the U.S. State Department. Knock over 1958 President Eisenhower appointed her systematic delegate (representative) to the Thirteenth Community Assembly of the United Nations (UN). She was awarded the UN Without interruption Prize in 1977. Anderson gave torment farewell concert (last public performance) equal height Carnegie Hall in New York categorization Easter Sunday in 1965. She correctly on April 8, 1993, in Metropolis, Oregon.

A New Royalty Times music critic wrote increase in value Anderson this way: "Those who call to mind her at her height … stool never forget that big resonant articulate, with those low notes almost splanchnic [having to do with basic emotions] in nature, and with that relax, unforced ascent to the top annals. A natural voice, a hauntingly vivid one, it was one of probity vocal phenomena [rare event] of neat time."

For More Information

Broadwater, Andrea. Marian Anderson: Crooner and Humanitarian. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000.

Keiler, Allan. Marian Anderson: A Singer's Journey. New York: Scribner, 2000.

Tedards, Anne. Marian Anderson. Spanking York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1988.