Marian Anderson was born on February 27, 1897 in south Philadelphia. Her family struggled to make ends meet after her father's untimely death. Her church congregation recognized her talent and helped her family by paying for her private voice lessons. Her dream was to sing opera but opera houses were closed to her because of her race. Unable to have a successful career in classical music in the U.S., she traveled to Europe where she won critical acclaim. The famous composer Auturo Toscanni described her voice as one that is heard only once every 100 years. After 10 years abroad she returned to her homeland "as one of the great singers of our time." Marian Anderson performed before heads of state, including the King and Queen of England and at the presidential inaugurations of Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson.
"I didn't want the singing to end. Wonderful performance."
Teacher / Eastside Elementary
