Marian Anderson: Symbol Of Hope For African Americans Everywhere

Marian Anderson: Symbol of Hope for African Americans Everywhere Marian Anderson was an extremely popular opera singer at a time when many African American’s were discriminated against. Anderson was born in 1897 in Philadelphia. She was a member of the Union Baptist Church. This is where she had her beginnings in singing. She began to sing the gospel at a very young age and enticed her to become a singer. She sang many spirituals in light of the great oppression African Americans were facing at the time. This singing greatly tested her vocal range and prepared her for the high notes she would have to sing as a contralto in Europe. This is where she would become extremely popular and open the door for more African americans to pursue

Many regarded her as a wonderful singer. Denyce Graves said “there must be gold in her voice.” Graves is an opera singer that was born in DC. She was heavily influenced by Anderson and she was one of the reasons that Graves began to sing. Graves was a kid when Marian Anderson was retiring. She was very familiar with all of Anderson’s work in Europe. Anderson had her first concert at Wigmore Hall, in London. She was a smash hit as there was not nearly as much prejudice in Europe. Her most famous concerts were played in Germany. This is where she perfected the Lieder Style, which is the way that many German operas were written in. Hitler used her as a way to promote nazism through her singing, even though he disliked African Americans. Singers like Graves and Harolyn Blackwell credit her as their main influences for pursuing careers in opera. Anderson broke down the racial barrier that would have prevented these singers. Anderson was also the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, the United States’ premiere opera company. This not only influenced future opera singers in DC, but everywhere. Her proficiency as an opera singer inspired many future opera singers to start careers of their own. Without her, the opera industry might never have been integrated, and many famous Washingtonians would not have been able to perform. She showed that African Americans are perfectly capable of being fine arts performers by perfecting the Leider style of