ROBERT S. SCURLOCK, Marian Anderson’s Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial, April 9, 1939 (negative). | Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
On April 9, 1939, Marian Anderson showcased her talent on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. She delivered a moving performance starting with “America,” touching the hearts of 75,000 people present, along with a nationwide audience reached through a live radio broadcast. The event was significant as it unfolded on Easter Sunday, amid the backdrop of racial tensions and segregation.
Anderson, known as a prominent opera singer of her time, faced discrimination when she was denied the chance to perform at Constitution Hall due to her race. This rejection led to public outcry, involving figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and Walter White, and eventually paved the way for a historic free concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, “Marian Anderson,” circa 1945 (oil on paperboard, 35 5⁄8 x 28 7⁄8 inches / 90.4 x 73.2 cm.). | Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.657
After facing rejection from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Marian Anderson’s story sparked a movement led by influential figures and organizations fighting against racism and segregation. This ultimately led to a groundbreaking concert at the Lincoln Memorial, commemorated through various artworks capturing the historic moment.
The Department of Interior oversees Marian Anderson’s concert at the Lincoln Memorial. Anderson faced discrimination but found solace in the support from Howard University for her performance. The event drew a diverse crowd, emphasizing the significance of breaking racial barriers through art and music.
The iconic concert was captured by Robert Scurlock, known for documenting Black Washington in the 20th century. Various photographers and artists, including Gordon Parks and Laura Wheeler Waring, immortalized Anderson through their work. Portraits of Anderson are featured in prestigious museum exhibitions, showcasing her enduring legacy.
Born in Philadelphia, Anderson’s vocal talent was evident from a young age. Despite facing racial prejudice, she achieved notable milestones in her career, such as becoming the first African American to perform with the New York Philharmonic Symphony. Her success in Europe contrasted with the discrimination she faced in the United States, highlighting the racial bias of the time.
Anderson’s perseverance and talent broke racial barriers in the music industry, paving the way for future generations.
BEAUFORD DELANEY (1901-1979), Marian Anderson, 1965 (oil and egg tempera emulsion on canvas, Framed: 66 3/16 × 53 1/2 × 1 7/8 inches / 168.12 × 135.89 × 4.76 cm; Unframed: 63 15/16 × 51 5/16 × 1 1/2 inches / 162.4 × 130.33 × 3.81 cm). | J. Harwood and Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Art, 2012.277
Marian Anderson performed in numerous concerts throughout her career, both in the United States and internationally, including tours in Eastern Europe, Russia, Asia, and South America. She made history with her performances, such as being the first African American to sing at the White House on Feb. 19, 1936. When the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) prevented her from singing at Constitutional Hall, Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the organization in support of Anderson.
Following the iconic Lincoln Memorial concert, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mrs. Roosevelt invited Anderson back to the White House for an “Evening of American Music” to honor the state visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England. Anderson’s performance of “Ave Maria” at this event recalled her memorable rendition at the Lincoln Memorial.
In 1950, Rudolf Bing, the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, expressed his willingness to engage Black singers if he found the right voice for the role. As a result, in January 1955, Anderson made history by becoming the first Black singer to take on a lead role at The Met by portraying Madame Ulrica Arvidsson in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” (A Masked Ball). CT
For more information, The Library of Congress offers a background essay by Cary O’Dell detailing the circumstances of Marian Anderson’s concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
Learn more about Marian Anderson by reading her obituary published by the New York Times in 1993.
Explore the Marian Anderson Papers archived at the University of Pennsylvania, containing a vast collection of correspondence, business records, programs, and other materials related to Anderson’s life and career.
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. featured the exhibition “One Life: Marian Anderson” in 2019-2020.
Discover more about Scurlock Photography Studio on Culture Type.
Extended Trailer: PBS’s American Experience: Voice of Freedom (2021) explores Marian Anderson’s life story and her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939. | Video by American Experience, PBS
The documentary “Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands” was released by PBS’s American Masters in 2022.
GORDON PARKS, “Marian Anderson broadcasting a Negro spiritual at the dedication of a mural installed in U.S. Department of the Interior building, commemorating the outdoor concert she gave at the Lincoln Memorial after the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow her to sing in Constitution Hall,” Washington, D.C., 1943. | © Gordon Parks/Gordon Parks Foundation
Betsy Graves Reyneau’s painting of Marian Anderson was part of the “Portraits of Outstanding Americans of Negro Origin” exhibition at the Smithsonian in 1944. The exhibit showcased portraits by two female artists commissioned by the Harmon Foundation: Graves Reyneau, a white artist, and Laura Wheeler Waring.
CARL VAN VECHTEN (1880-1964), Portrait of Marian Anderson, Jan. 14, 1940 (gelatin silver print). | Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Carl Van Vechten Collection
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, Unidentified, Marian Anderson #1, circa 1939, (recto: tempera on paper verso: tempera, pencil and metallic gold paint on paper, sheet recto and verso: 37 5⁄8 x 20 5⁄8 inches / 95.5 x 52.3 cm). | Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.318R-V
BOOKSHELF
New fully illustrated exhibition catalogs accompany “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice.” Both exhibitions showcase portraits of Marian Anderson. In 1956, Anderson released her memoir, “My Lord, What a Morning.” Raymond Arsenault penned “The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America,” which delves into the fight for racial equality in 1930s America, Anderson’s quiet heroism, and a pivotal moment that inspired people across races. For children, the book “When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson” offers an insightful read.
