Racism Sings Sour Note As Marian Anderson Performs at Lincoln Memorial
by: Dr. Clint Wilson
The beautiful voice of the world's greatest contralto would not be heard in Washington D.C.'s Constitution Hall by decree of the Daughters of the American Revolution, owners of the facility. By the D.A.R.'s reckoning, the fact that Marian Anderson was African American precluded her from appearing on the stage of their concert hall.
It was the spring of 1939 and Howard University was sponsoring the concert featuring the world-renowned diva. But, finding a proper site that could accommodate the large audience Miss Anderson was certain to attract proved to be a formidable task. Not only did the D.A.R. refuse permission to stage the event, but so did the D.C. school board which noted its policy of racial separation would be violated if it were to grant use of the Central High School auditorium. After an outpouring of protest, it granted permission, but only under severe Jim Crow restrictions that were unacceptable to the sponsors.
But, triumphantly, a fitting open-air site was obtained – the Lincoln Memorial and its symbolic grounds. When Miss Anderson approached the microphone, an estimated audience of 75,000 people had gathered. Hermelodious strains overwhelmed the racist atmosphere that had wafted over the nation's capital. Three thousand miles away, the California Eagle told its readers about the marvelous Black singer whose voice made a powerful statement.
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