Marian Anderson

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Marian Lucille Anderson was born on February 27, 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to John Berkley Anderson and Annie Delilah Rucker on Webster Street in South Philadelphia. Her family was hardworking and raised her to her best. She was the oldest of three sisters. John was a loader at the Reading Terminal Market, while Anna had been a teacher in Virginia. In 1912, John suffered a head wound at work and died soon after. Anna and her three daughters moved in with John’s parents, while Anna found work cleaning, laundering and scrubbing floors. She began singing at choir of Union Baptist Church. She learned all the parts from Soprano to Bass with excellence and soon had an amazing range. It took awhile but she finally got a professional lesson at the age of 15.

(www.afrovoices.com/anderson.html)

Soon after she meet Arturo Toscanini, one of the Conductors who taught Marian parts of what she knows. He said “A voice like yours is heard only in a hundred years.” She was also assisted by Mary Saunders Patterson and Agnes Reifsnyder. Without their help she wouldn’t have gotten so far in life. At one point she took a daring step and performed at New York’s Town Hall. It had little turn out and critics found her voice lacking. She was terribly discouraged and even thought of going back on her choice of being a singer. Good thing for her, and us, she didn’t.

She was also a very important figure to African Americans because she helped break the color barrier of the ninetieth century. I admire her because she had the guts to stand up for herself. Even in 1939 on April 9th, in front of President Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, and hundreds of high ranking people, Americans, African Americans, Hispanics and many others. Marian also helped out during the civil war by entertaining troops in bases and in hospitals. After being rejected by the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) once, she was offered to sing for them. In 1943 she sang in the Constitution Hall home of the DAR.

Marian Anderson (www.afrovoices.com/anderson.html)

To be concluded, Marian Anderson died April 9th 1993 Portland, Oregon. She was a great monument of strength and hope and her Legacy will live on forever. She was a sign of hope, peace and Prosperity. She was a hero to many and a hero to me. To all singers who hope to make it to the big time, against all odds.