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Marian Anderson sings at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

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@ National Portrait Gallery

Unidentified Man

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On April 9, 1939, Marian Anderson sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before a desegregated crowd of 75,000 people. This had not been her intended stage. The concert’s organizer, Howard University, had initially contacted the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and then the D.C. Board of Education about renting a large venue to accommodate her many fans. Both organizations, however, upheld segregationist policies and turned down the university’s request. A national controversy ensued, one that highlighted discrimination in the United States. Reporters repeatedly asked Anderson if she had anything to say. As with prior segregation-related disputes, she remained relatively silent. Years later, in her 1956 autobiography My Lord, What a Morning, she explained that she “did not want to talk” and especially “did not want to say anything about the D.A.R.” This would not be the last time that Anderson would feel reticent about confronting issues of race.El 9 de abril de 1939, Marian Anderson cantó en las escalinatas del Monumento a Lincoln ante una multitud no segregada de 75,000 personas. Este no era el escenario que había planeado. La organizadora del concierto, la Universidad Howard, había contactado inicialmente a las Hijas de la Revolución Americana (DAR) y luego al Consejo de Educación de Washington D.C. para alquilar un gran recinto donde cupieran los muchos admiradores de la cantante. Ambas organizaciones, sin embargo, tenían políticas segregacionistas y rechazaron la solicitud de la universidad. Esto resultó en una controversia a nivel nacional, que puso de relieve la discriminación...
Type:
Image
Format:
Gelatin Silver Print
Rights:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Estate of Frederica Ellis, wife of Arthur J. Ellis) The Corcoran Gallery of Art, one of the country’s first private museums, was established in 1869 to promote art and American genius. In 2014 the Works from the Corcoran Collection were distributed to institutions in Washington, D.C.
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National Portrait Gallery

Record Harvested From

Smithsonian Institution