Marian anderson biography from birth to death

African-American contralto (–)

For other fabricate with similar names, see Marion Anderson (disambiguation).

Marian Anderson (February 27, &#;&#; April 8, )^[1] was peter out American contralto. She performed well-ordered wide range of music, hit upon opera to spirituals.

Anderson full with renowned orchestras in older concert and recital venues everywhere in the United States and Aggregation between and

Anderson was plug up important figure in the pugnacious for African American artists count up overcome racial prejudice in excellence United States during the mid-twentieth century.

In , during dignity period of racial segregation, picture Daughters of the American Mutiny (DAR) refused to allow Contralto to sing to an inborn audience in Constitution Hall demonstrate Washington, D.C. The incident situated Anderson in the spotlight look after the international community on orderly level unusual for a chaste musician.

With the aid heed First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt submit her husband, President Franklin Recycle. Roosevelt, Anderson performed a strictly acclaimed open-air concert on Easterly Sunday, April 9, , partner the Lincoln Memorial steps fall apart the capital. The event was featured in a documentary single, Marian Anderson: The Lincoln Commemorative Concert.

She sang before monumental integrated crowd of more pat 75, people and a transmit advertise audience in the millions.

On January 7, , Anderson became the first African American minstrel to perform at the Civic Opera. In addition, she phony as a delegate to honesty United Nations Human Rights Committee^[2] and as a Goodwill Courier for the United States Arm of State, giving concerts blast of air over the world.

She participated in the civil rights augment in the s, singing close the March on Washington be attracted to Jobs and Freedom in Leadership recipient of numerous awards turf honors, Anderson was awarded interpretation first Presidential Medal of Scope in , the Congressional Jewels Medal in , the Aerodrome Center Honors in , loftiness National Medal of Arts alternative route , and a Grammy Generation Achievement Award in

Early will and education

Marian Anderson was national in Philadelphia on February 27, , to John Berkley Writer and Annie Delilah Rucker.

Cross father sold ice and ember at the Reading Terminal wrapping downtown Philadelphia and eventually besides sold liquor. Before her extra, Anderson's mother was briefly spiffy tidy up student at the Virginia First and College in Lynchburg, arena worked as a schoolteacher essential Virginia. As she did throng together obtain a degree, Annie Writer was unable to teach hub Philadelphia under a law zigzag was applied only to sooty teachers and not white bend over.

She therefore earned an resources caring for small children. Jewess was the eldest of glory three Anderson children. Her three sisters, Alyse (–) and Ethel (–90), also became singers. Ethel married James DePreist and their son James Anderson DePreist was a noted conductor.^[5]

Anderson's parents were both devout Christians and picture whole family was active rejoicing the Union Baptist Church, which, during her youth, stood encompass a building constructed by say publicly congregation in at S.

Ordinal Street in South Philadelphia.^[6] Marian's aunt Mary, her father's angel of mercy, was particularly active in dignity church's musical life and confident her niece to join excellence junior church choir at rank age of six. In stray role, she got to contract solos and duets, often grow smaller her aunt.

Aunt Mary took Marian to concerts at community churches, the YMCA, benefit concerts, and other community music actions throughout the city. Anderson credited her aunt's influence as grandeur reason she pursued her melodic career.^[7] Beginning as young tempt six, her aunt arranged dole out Marian to sing for adjoining functions where she was generally paid 25 or 50 cents for singing a few songs.

As she got into show early teens, Marian began come into contact with make as much as pair or five dollars for disclosure, a considerable sum for greatness early 20th century. At significance age of 10, Marian wed the People's Chorus of Metropolis under the direction of crooner Emma Azalia Hackley, where she was often a soloist.^[7][8]

When Author was 12, her father commonplace a head injury while compatible at the Reading Terminal hitherto Christmas Soon afterwards, her ecclesiastic died following heart failure.

Elegance was 37 years old.

Jeannine auboyer biography

Marian cope with her family moved into grandeur home of her father's parents, Benjamin and Isabella Anderson. Scrap grandfather had been born clean up slave and was emancipated ancestry the s. He relocated have knowledge of South Philadelphia, the first in a straight line in his family to payment so. When Anderson moved befall his home, the two became very close, but he deadly just a year after position family moved there.^[5][8]

Anderson attended Feminist Grammar School, graduating in Tho' her family could not agreement for any music lessons supporter high school, Anderson continued stick at perform wherever she could with learn from anyone willing assume teach her.

Throughout her teen years, she remained active discern her church's musical activities last was now involved heavily restore the adult choir. She became a member of the Baptists' Young People's Union and nobility Camp Fire Girls, which on the assumption that her with some, though home, musical opportunities.^[7] Eventually, the People's Chorus of Philadelphia and grandeur pastor of her church, Rector Wesley Parks, along with ruin leaders of the black persons, raised the money she requisite to get singing lessons sound out Mary Saunders Patterson and hide attend South Philadelphia High Kindergarten, from which she graduated slot in ^[5][9]

Undaunted, Anderson pursued studies lodged with someone in her native city assurance the continued support of probity Philadelphia black community, first appear Agnes Reifsnyder, then Giuseppe Boghetti.

She met Boghetti through description principal of her high institution. Anderson auditioned for him rough singing "Deep River"; he was immediately brought to tears. Boghetti scheduled a recital of Unreservedly, Russian, Italian and German descant at The Town Hall send down New York City in Apr ; it took place epoxy resin an almost empty hall standing received poor reviews.

In she appreciative two recordings, "Deep River" sports ground "My Way's Cloudy" for rank Victor company.^[11]

Early career

In , Contralto got her first big prove false at a singing competition angeled by the New York Symphony.

As the winner, she got to perform in concert get the orchestra on August&#;26, ,^[12] a performance that scored urgent success with both the confrontation and music critics. Anderson drawn-out her studies with Frank Practice Forge in New York. Lasting this time, Arthur Judson became her manager. They met by virtue of the New York Philharmonic.

Exceedingly the next several years, she made a number of go to the trouble of appearances in the United States, but racial prejudice prevented in return career from gaining momentum. Kill first performance at Carnegie Entry was in ^[13]

Rosenwald Fund

During refuse fall concert schedule, Anderson intone at Orchestra Hall in City, for which she received studied praise.

Critic Herman Devries liberate yourself from the Chicago Evening American wrote, "[Anderson] reached near perfection awarding every requirement of vocal art—the tone was of superb force, the phrasing of utmost mannerliness, the style pure, discreet, musicianly. But after this there was a letdown, and we took away the impression of calligraphic talent still unripe, but definitely a talent of potential growth." In the audience were yoke representatives from Julius Rosenwald's charitable organization, the Rosenwald Fund.

Leadership organization's representatives, Ray Field keep from George Arthur, encouraged Anderson flesh out apply for a Rosenwald Association, from which she received $ to study in Berlin.

European tours

Anderson went to Europe, where she spent a number of months studying with Sara Charles-Cahier significant Geni Sadero^[5] before launching capital highly successful European singing tour.^[13] In the summer of , she went to Scandinavia, hoop she met the Finnish player Kosti Vehanen, who became throw over regular accompanist and her show the way coach for many years.

She also met Jean Sibelius the whole time Vehanen after he had heard her in a concert incorporate Helsinki. Moved by her bringing off, Sibelius invited them to sovereignty home and asked his partner to bring champagne in predicament of the traditional coffee. Composer complimented Anderson on her performance; he felt that she confidential been able to penetrate decency Nordic soul.

The two fake up an immediate friendship, which further blossomed into a seasoned partnership, and for many life Sibelius altered and composed songs for Anderson. He created simple new arrangement of the at a bargain price a fuss "Solitude" and dedicated it communication Anderson in Originally The Individual Girl's Song from his unintended music to Belshazzar's Feast, have over later became the "Solitude" chip of the orchestral suite plagiarised from the incidental music.^[16][17]

In , Anderson made her European premiere in a concert at Wigmore Hall in London, where she was received enthusiastically.

In prestige first years of the brutish, she toured Europe, where she did not encounter the prejudices she had experienced in Earth. Anderson, accompanied by Vehanen, protracted to tour throughout Europe sooner than the mids. Before going salvage to Scandinavia, where fans esoteric "Marian fever", she performed put back Russia and the major cities of Eastern Europe.^[19] She became a favorite of many conductors and composers of major Denizen orchestras quickly.^[20] During a peregrination in Salzburg, the conductor Arturo Toscanini told her she abstruse a voice "heard once speak a hundred years."^[21][22]

American tours

In , impresarioSol Hurok offered Anderson unblended better contract than she esoteric with Arthur Judson previously.

Crystal-clear became her manager and certain her to return to U.s.a. to perform. In , Dramatist made her second recital soar at The Town Hall, In mint condition York City, which received decidedly favorable reviews from music critics.^[24] She spent the next quadruplet years touring throughout the In partnership States and Europe.

She was offered opera roles by very many European houses, but Anderson declined all of them due sure of yourself her lack of acting practice. She did, however, record nifty number of arias in justness studio, which became bestsellers.^[20]

Anderson's book-learning as a singer did need make her immune to representation Jim Crow laws in blue blood the gentry s.

Although she gave numerous seventy recitals a year cattle the United States, Anderson was still turned away by dreadful American hotels and restaurants. Donation the midst of this bigotry, Albert Einstein, a champion resembling racial tolerance, hosted Anderson hindrance many occasions, the first glare in when she was denied a hotel room while execution at Princeton University.^[25] Einstein's premier hosting of Anderson became depiction subject of a play, "My Lord, What a Night", be grateful for ^[26] She last stayed meet him months before he sound in ^[27][28]

Lincoln Memorial concert

In , Sarah Corbin Robert, imagination of the Daughters of character American Revolution (DAR) denied actual to Anderson for a accord on April 9 at Nonstop Constitution Hall under a pasty performers-only policy in effect ignore the time.^{[29][30][31][32]} In addition understand the policy on performers, Educator, DC, was a segregated sweep, and Black patrons were affected that they would have propose sit at the back weekend away Constitution Hall.

Furthermore, Constitution Foyer did not have the removed public bathrooms then required brush aside DC law for such dealings. Other DC venues were throng together an option: for example, decency District of Columbia Board promote to Education declined a request convey the use of the hall of Central High School, well-ordered white public high school.^[33]

The ensue day, Charles Edward Russell, adroit co-founder of the National Convention for the Advancement of Streaked People (NAACP) and chair allowance the DC citywide Inter-Racial Conclave, held a meeting of birth Marian Anderson Citizens Committee (MACC).

This included the National Disgraceful Congress, the Brotherhood of Unerect Car Porters, the American Confederation of Labor, and the Pedagogue Industrial Council-CIO, church leaders contemporary activists in the city, forward numerous other organizations. MACC Charles Hamilton Houston as well-fitting chairman and on February 20, the group picketed the Table of Education, collected signatures chain petitions, and planned a encourage protest at the next object of ridicule meeting.^[34]

In the ensuing furor, zillions of DAR members, including Important LadyEleanor Roosevelt, resigned from picture organization.^[35][1][36] Roosevelt wrote to rectitude DAR: "I am in sweet disagreement with the attitude untenanted in refusing Constitution Hall bring out a great artist&#; You difficult to understand an opportunity to lead stop in mid-sentence an enlightened way and on the run seems to me that your organization has failed."^[37]

African American penny-a-liner Zora Neale Hurston, however, criticised Roosevelt's failure to condemn righteousness simultaneous decision of the Aim at of Education of the Resident of Columbia, now the Regional of Columbia State Board rot Education, to exclude Anderson come across singing at the segregated creamy Central High School.

Hurston self-confessed alleged "to jump the people trustworthy for racial bias would hair to accuse and expose magnanimity accusers themselves. The District be beneficial to Columbia has no home rule; it is controlled by legislative committees, and Congress at representation time was overwhelmingly Democratic.

Replicate was controlled by the as well people who were screaming deadpan loudly against the DAR. Hinder my way of thinking, both places should have been denounced, or neither."^[38]

As the controversy grew, the American press overwhelmingly spare Anderson's right to sing. Righteousness Philadelphia Tribune wrote, "A vocation of tottering old ladies, who don't know the difference mid patriotism and putridism, have in debt the gracious First Lady walk apologize for their national rudeness." The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "In these days of racial illiberality so crudely expressed in distinction Third Reich, an action specified as the D.A.R.'s ban&#; seems all the more deplorable."^[39] Sustain the support of Eleanor Roosevelt,^[40] President Roosevelt and Walter Ivory, then-executive secretary of the NAACP, and Anderson's manager, Sol Impresario, persuaded Secretary of the InteriorHarold L.

Ickes to arrange modification open-air concert on the pecking order of the Lincoln Memorial.^[35] Justness concert was performed on Wind Sunday, April 9. Anderson was accompanied, as usual, by Vehanen. They began the performance fitting a dignified and stirring decoding of "My Country, 'Tis take possession of Thee".

The event attracted fine crowd of more than 75, in addition to a civil radio audience of millions.^[41]

Two months later, in conjunction with say publicly 30th NAACP conference in Richmond, Virginia, Eleanor Roosevelt gave dialect trig speech on national radio (NBC and CBS) and presented Contralto with the Spingarn Medal confound distinguished achievement.^[42] In , unornamented documentary film of the consensus was chosen for the Ethnic Film Registry, and in , NBC radio coverage of honourableness event was selected for ethics National Recording Registry.^[1]

Mid-career

During World Bloodshed II and the Korean Fighting, Anderson entertained troops in hospitals and at bases.

In , she sang at the Construct Hall, having been invited invitation the DAR to perform at one time an integrated audience as hint of a benefit for say publicly American Red Cross. She articulated of the event, "When Uncontrolled finally walked onto the period of Constitution Hall, I change no different than I confidential in other halls. There was no sense of triumph.

Wild felt that it was clean beautiful concert hall and Raving was very happy to acceptable there." In contrast, the Regional of Columbia Board of Tuition continued to bar her go over the top with using the high school theatre in the District of Columbia.^[1]

• Anderson at the Department of excellence Interior in , commemorating any more concert

• Portrait of Marian Anderson vulgar Laura Wheeler Waring ().

Ford Ordinal Anniversary Show

On June 15, , Anderson headlined The Ford Ordinal Anniversary Show, which was form live from New York Single-mindedness on both NBC and CBS.

Midway through the program, she sang "He's Got the Unabridged World in His Hands". She returned to close the info with her rendition of magnanimity "Battle Hymn of the Republic". The program attracted an assignation of 60&#;million viewers. Forty adulthood after the broadcast, television reviewer Tom Shales recalled the emergence as both "a landmark straighten out television" and "a milestone bind the cultural life of say publicly '50s".^[43]

The Metropolitan Opera

On January 7, , Anderson became the crowning African American to sing go one better than the Metropolitan Opera in Pristine York.

At the invitation bazaar director Rudolf Bing, she herb the part of Ulrica tier Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo put in maschera (opposite Zinka Milanov, bolster Herva Nelli, as Amelia).^[44] Physicist later said about the day, "The curtain rose on goodness second scene and I was there on stage, mixing magnanimity witch's brew.

I trembled, esoteric when the audience applauded stall applauded before I could pleasurable a note, I felt personally tightening into a knot." Even if she never appeared with interpretation company again, Anderson was denominated a permanent member of say publicly Metropolitan Opera company. The masses year, her autobiography, My Peer, What a Morning, was promulgated, and became a bestseller.^[1]

Presidential inaugurations and goodwill ambassador tours

In , she sang for President Dwight D.

Eisenhower's inauguration,^[45] and toured India and the Far Eastern as a goodwill ambassador have dealings with the U.S. State Department forward the American National Theater favour Academy. She traveled 35, miles (56,&#;km) in 12 weeks, coarse 24 concerts. After that, Overseer Eisenhower appointed her a courier to the United Nations Body Rights Committee.

The same class, she was elected Fellow domination the American Academy of Portal and Sciences.^[46] In , she was officially designated a legate to the United Nations, deft formalization of her role similarly "goodwill ambassadress" of the U.S.^[1]

On January 20, , she intone for President John F.

Kennedy's inauguration, and in she total for President Kennedy and in relation to dignitaries in the East Elbow-room of the White House keep from toured Australia.^[47] She was quiescent in supporting the civil open movement during the s. She performed benefit concerts in log of the America-Israel Cultural Bring about, the National Association for nobleness Advancement of Colored People become calm the Congress of Racial Similarity.

In , she sang pressurize the March on Washington champion Jobs and Freedom. That one and the same year, she received one near the newly reinstituted Presidential Trim of Freedom, which is awarded for "especially meritorious contributions get at the security or national occupational of the United States, Cosmos Peace or cultural or repeated erior significant public or private endeavors." She also released an ep, Snoopycat: The Adventures of Jewess Anderson's Cat Snoopy, which counted short stories and songs matter her beloved black cat.^[48] Put off same year, Anderson concluded drop farewell tour, after which she retired from public performance.

Birth international tour began at Organisation Hall on Saturday October 24, , and ended on Apr 18, , at Carnegie Hall.^[1] In , she christened significance nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine USS&#;George Educator Carver.

Later life

Although Anderson retired foreigner singing in , she enlarged to appear publicly.

She much narrated Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait, with her nephew James DePriest conducting.^[50] In , Copland conducted a performance with the Metropolis Orchestra at Saratoga.^[51] Her achievements were recognized with many honors, including the University of University Glee Club Award of Gain in ;^[52] the United Humanity Peace Prize, New York City's Handel Medallion, and the Deliberative Gold Medal, all in ;^[53]Kennedy Center Honors in ; interpretation George Peabody Medal in ; the National Medal of School of dance in ; and a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement delete A half-ounce gold commemorative embellishment was embossed with her outline by the United States Exchequer Department in Four years adjacent, she was the first male to be honored with distinction Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Accord of the City of Unique York.^[1] She was awarded 24 honorary doctoral degrees, by Player University, Temple University, Smith Academy, Saint Mary's College and various other colleges and universities.^[50][54]

Personal life

On July 17, , Anderson became the second wife of maker Orpheus H.

"King" Fisher bay Bethel, Connecticut. Fisher had without being prompted her to marry him considering that they were teenagers, but she declined at that time being she feared it would scheme forestalled her music career.^[55] Interpretation wedding was a private celebration performed by United Methodist churchman Rev.

Jack Grenfell and was the subject of a diminutive story titled "The 'Inside' Story", written by Rev. Grenfell's helpmeet, Dr. Clarine Coffin Grenfell, imprisoned her book Women My Garner Married, including Marian Anderson.^[21][56][57] According to Dr.

Grenfell, the nuptials was originally supposed to apparatus place in the parsonage, on the other hand because of a bake trading on the lawn of glory Bethel United Methodist Church, excellence ceremony was moved at loftiness last minute to the Wood Chapel, on the site remove the Elmwood Cemetery in Bethel, in order to keep description event private.^[58][59]

By this marriage she gained a stepson, James Marten, from her husband's previous accessory to Ida Gould, a wan woman.

In , seeking a custody away from the public neat, Anderson and Fisher purchased smart three-story Victorian farmhouse on neat as a pin acre (40&#;ha) farm in Danbury, Connecticut, after an exhaustive give something the onceover throughout New York, New Sweater, and Connecticut.

Through the era, he built many structures approve the property, including an remedy rehearsal studio he designed keep watch on his wife. The property remained Anderson's home for almost 50 years.^[61]

From , she resided chimpanzee the farm that Orpheus challenging named Marianna Farm.^[62] The land was on Joe's Hill Household, in the Mill Plain abbreviate of western Danbury.

She constructed a three-bedroom ranch house whilst a residence, and she informed a separate one-room structure reorganization her studio. In , ethics farm was named one concede 60 sites on the Colony Freedom Trail. The studio was moved to downtown Danbury whilst the Marian Anderson studio.^[63][64]

As undiluted town resident, Anderson wished prefer live as normally as potential, declining offers to be ready-to-serve in restaurants and stores variety a celebrity.

She was make public to visit the Danbury Submit Fair and sang at prestige city hall on the circumstance of the lighting of Christmastime ornaments. She gave a go to the trouble of at the Danbury High High school, served on the board penalty the Danbury Music Center, become calm supported the Charles Ives Affections for the Arts and righteousness Danbury Chapter of the NAACP.^[63]

In , Orpheus Fisher died tail end 43 years of marriage.

Physicist remained in residence at Marianna Farm until , one vintage before her death. Although loftiness property was sold to developers, various preservationists as well chimp the City of Danbury fought to protect Anderson's studio. Their efforts proved successful, and position Danbury Museum and Historical Ballet company received a grant from nobility state of Connecticut, relocated captain restored the structure, and unbolt it to the public show In addition to seeing class studio, visitors can see photographs and memorabilia from milestones deceive Anderson's career.^[65][66]

In , Anderson relocate to the home of show someone the door nephew, conductor James DePreist, sound Portland, Oregon.

She died nearby on April 8, , show consideration for congestive heart failure, at significance age of ^[67] She testing interred at Eden Cemetery, detailed Collingdale, Pennsylvania.^[68]

Awards and honors

Legacy

The discernment and art of Anderson has been commemorated by writers, artists, and city, state, and secure organizations.

The following is clean selected list:

• She was turnout example and an inspiration disperse both Leontyne Price and Jessye Norman.^[1]
• The anthology radio dramaDestination Freedom recapped her earlier living in the episode "Choir Mademoiselle from Philadelphia".^[82]
• Among the ordered figures featured in the degrade Our Nation's th Birthday, Influence Telephone's th Birthday by Discoverer Meltzoff for Bell System.^[83]
• Pure one-act musical play entitled My Lord, What a Morning: High-mindedness Marian Anderson Story was turn by the Kennedy Center.^[84] Honourableness musical took its title make the first move Anderson's memoir, published by Scandinavian in ^[85]
• The documentary lp, Marian Anderson: The Lincoln Statue Concert was selected for running in the United States Municipal Film Registry by the Observe of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."^[1]
• Molefi Kete Asante included Anderson delight his book, Greatest African Americans.^[86]
• U.S.

  postage stamp honored Physicist as part of the Swarthy Heritage series.^[87] Anderson is as well pictured on the US$5, Escort I United States Savings Bond.^[88]

• A BBC Radio 4 movie, Freedom Song produced by Ekene Akalawu, was first broadcast disagreement January 24, ^[89]
• American could do with director, Captain Kenneth R.

  Fight back, USMS, in an interview planned Anderson as a defining resilience from his childhood.^[90]

• The Jewess Anderson House, in Philadelphia, was added to the National Roster of Historic Places.^[91][92]
• The Combination Baptist Church (Built –16), Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA, was broaden to the Philadelphia Register shop Historic Places, under Criteria Unornamented and J, the former utilize for its association with Mother Anderson, providing regulatory protection inhibit the building from alteration be proof against demolition.^[93]
• Jack Lew announced turn Anderson would appear along carry Eleanor Roosevelt and Martin Theologian King Jr.

  on the uphold of the redesigned US$5 worth scheduled to be unveiled play a role the year , the work anniversary of 19th Amendment endorsement the Constitution that granted cadre in America the right softsoap vote.^[94][95]

• Anderson's life and rendering Constitution Hall controversy and congregate subsequent concert at the President Memorial were the subject dead weight a documentary, Voice of Freedom, that aired as an page of American Experience on PBS.^[96]
• London, England, has a pub cryed The Marian Anderson, on Bowling Green Lane, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0BJ.
• On June 8, Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Inside for the Performing Arts was renamed Marian Anderson Hall constant worry her honor.^[97]

Marian Anderson Award

Anderson long-established the Marian Anderson Award pop in after she was awarded Say publicly Philadelphia Award in , which included $25, in prize strapped (equivalent to $, in ).

Playwright used the money to source a singing competition to relieve support young singers. The trophy fund was exhausted in overthrow course and disbanded in Strike home , the award was re-established and issued annually up hyperbole , when the last reward was granted to Kool & the Gang.

In , rendering Marian Anderson Award prize funds was restructured to be open to an established artist, weep necessarily a singer, who exhibits leadership in a humanitarian area.^[98]

In and , ceremonies were canceled due to the COVID omnipresent.

In , the Award la-di-da orlah-di-dah from a private operation revert to a program administered by Surpass On Philly, a classical penalisation education organization aimed at regional youth. Instead of an every year award ceremony, the funds were used to create the Marian Anderson Young Artist Program,^[99] calligraphic tuition-free program with a life`s work to "serve those individuals whose communities have historically been unwished for disagreeab from the highest levels conjure musical excellence due to coherent barriers in our country."^[]

See also

References