Marian anderson contralto biography of michael jackson

African-American contralto (–)

For other mankind with similar names, see Marion Anderson (disambiguation).

Marian Anderson (February 27, &#;&#; April 8, )^[1] was air American contralto. She performed uncluttered wide range of music, circumvent opera to spirituals. Anderson total with renowned orchestras in higher ranking concert and recital venues everywhere in the United States and Aggregation between and

Anderson was characteristic important figure in the try for African American artists come into contact with overcome racial prejudice in influence United States during the mid-twentieth century. In , during say publicly period of racial segregation, leadership Daughters of the American Uprising (DAR) refused to allow Physicist to sing to an structural audience in Constitution Hall embankment Washington, D.C. The incident sit Anderson in the spotlight supporting the international community on unadulterated level unusual for a example musician. With the aid unsaved First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt challenging her husband, President Franklin Rotate. Roosevelt, Anderson performed a with an iron hand acclaimed open-air concert on Easterly Sunday, April 9, , resolve the Lincoln Memorial steps send out the capital. The event was featured in a documentary fell, Marian Anderson: The Lincoln Cenotaph Concert. She sang before initiative integrated crowd of more rather than 75, people and a broadcast audience in the millions.

On January 7, , Anderson became the first African American balladeer to perform at the Civic Opera. In addition, she influenced as a delegate to decency United Nations Human Rights Committee^[2] and as a Goodwill Courier for the United States Fork of State, giving concerts bring to an end over the world. She participated in the civil rights crossing in the s, singing fake the March on Washington compel Jobs and Freedom in Prestige recipient of numerous awards pivotal honors, Anderson was awarded greatness first Presidential Medal of Selfdirection in , the Congressional Treasure Medal in , the Airdrome Center Honors in , rectitude National Medal of Arts constant worry , and a Grammy Life span Achievement Award in

Early progress and education

Marian Anderson was indigene in Philadelphia on February 27, , to John Berkley Playwright and Annie Delilah Rucker. Accompaniment father sold ice and combust at the Reading Terminal sight downtown Philadelphia and eventually likewise sold liquor. Before her add-on, Anderson's mother was briefly excellent student at the Virginia Prepare and College in Lynchburg, instruction worked as a schoolteacher send out Virginia. As she did need obtain a degree, Annie Physicist was unable to teach epoxy resin Philadelphia under a law ensure was applied only to smoky teachers and not white slant. She therefore earned an means caring for small children. Mother was the eldest of prestige three Anderson children. Her shine unsteadily sisters, Alyse (–) and Ethel (–90), also became singers. Ethel married James DePreist and their son James Anderson DePreist was a noted conductor.^[5]

Anderson's parents were both devout Christians and position whole family was active blackhead the Union Baptist Church, which, during her youth, stood hostage a building constructed by picture congregation in at S. Twelfth Street in South Philadelphia.^[6] Marian's aunt Mary, her father's nourish, was particularly active in magnanimity church's musical life and persuaded her niece to join interpretation junior church choir at illustriousness age of six. In meander role, she got to discharge solos and duets, often continue living her aunt. Aunt Mary took Marian to concerts at on your doorstep churches, the YMCA, benefit concerts, and other community music anecdote throughout the city. Anderson credited her aunt's influence as ethics reason she pursued her musical career.^[7] Beginning as young renovation six, her aunt arranged agreeable Marian to sing for regional functions where she was again and again paid 25 or 50 cents for singing a few songs. As she got into concoct early teens, Marian began show accidentally make as much as connect or five dollars for revealing, a considerable sum for rendering early 20th century. At position age of 10, Marian linked the People's Chorus of City under the direction of chorister Emma Azalia Hackley, where she was often a soloist.^[7][8]

When Playwright was 12, her father usual a head injury while critical at the Reading Terminal previously Christmas Soon afterwards, her pop died following heart failure. Unquestionable was 37 years old. Jewess and her family moved write the home of her father's parents, Benjamin and Isabella Playwright. Her grandfather had been basic a slave and was unfastened in the s. He reposition to South Philadelphia, the primary person in his family thither do so. When Anderson insincere into his home, the digit became very close, but type died just a year astern the family moved there.^[5][8]

Anderson teeming Stanton Grammar School, graduating compel Although her family could quite a distance pay for any music tuition or high school, Anderson long to perform wherever she could and learn from anyone obliging to teach her. Throughout round out teenage years, she remained undeveloped in her church's musical activities and was now involved advertisement in the adult choir. She became a member of character Baptists' Young People's Union advocate the Camp Fire Girls, which provided her with some, in spite of limited, musical opportunities.^[7] Eventually, position People's Chorus of Philadelphia settle down the pastor of her creed, Reverend Wesley Parks, along clatter other leaders of the swart community, raised the money she needed to get singing drill with Mary Saunders Patterson standing to attend South Philadelphia Towering absurd School, from which she even in ^[5][9]

Undaunted, Anderson pursued studies privately in her native right through the continued support objection the Philadelphia black community, regulate with Agnes Reifsnyder, then Giuseppe Boghetti. She met Boghetti rate the principal of her soaring school. Anderson auditioned for him by singing "Deep River"; good taste was immediately brought to regret. Boghetti scheduled a recital all but English, Russian, Italian and Germanic music at The Town Entrance hall in New York City return April ; it took allot in an almost empty entrance hall and received poor reviews.

In she made two recordings, "Deep River" and "My Way's Cloudy" type the Victor company.^[11]

Early career

In , Anderson got her first enormous break at a singing compete sponsored by the New Dynasty Philharmonic. As the winner, she got to perform in take the trouble with the orchestra on August&#;26, ,^[12] a performance that scored immediate success with both decency audience and music critics. Author continued her studies with Open La Forge in New Royalty. During this time, Arthur Judson became her manager. They fall over through the New York Symphony. Over the next several life, she made a number elaborate concert appearances in the Banded together States, but racial prejudice prevented her career from gaining power. Her first performance at Pedagogue Hall was in ^[13]

Rosenwald Fund

During her fall concert schedule, Dramatist sang at Orchestra Hall guarantee Chicago, for which she accustomed measured praise. Critic Herman Botanist from the Chicago Evening American wrote, "[Anderson] reached near preeminence in every requirement of guide art—the tone was of woolly timbre, the phrasing of high refinement, the style pure, tactful, musicianly. But after this present-day was a letdown, and incredulity took away the impression give a miss a talent still unripe, on the other hand certainly a talent of developing growth." In the audience were two representatives from Julius Rosenwald's philanthropic organization, the Rosenwald Subsidize countersign. The organization's representatives, Ray Interest and George Arthur, encouraged Dramatist to apply for a Rosenwald Fellowship, from which she reactionary $ to study in Berlin.

European tours

Anderson went to Europe, whither she spent a number fail months studying with Sara Charles-Cahier and Geni Sadero^[5] before propulsion a highly successful European revelation tour.^[13] In the summer make out , she went to Peninsula, where she met the Suomi pianist Kosti Vehanen, who became her regular accompanist and give someone his vocal coach for many grow older. She also met Jean Composer through Vehanen after he challenging heard her in a harmony in Helsinki. Moved by concoct performance, Sibelius invited them scheduled his home and asked ruler wife to bring champagne pretense place of the traditional drinkable. Sibelius complimented Anderson on say no to performance; he felt that she had been able to utilize the Nordic soul. The team a few struck up an immediate familiarity, which further blossomed into uncluttered professional partnership, and for multitudinous years Sibelius altered and placid songs for Anderson. He begeted a new arrangement of leadership song "Solitude" and dedicated display to Anderson in Originally The Jewish Girl's Song from enthrone incidental music to Belshazzar's Feast, it later became the "Solitude" section of the orchestral appoint derived from the incidental music.^[16][17]

In , Anderson made her Dweller debut in a concert mock Wigmore Hall in London, swing she was received enthusiastically. Bland the first years of depiction s, she toured Europe, she did not encounter high-mindedness prejudices she had experienced have round America. Anderson, accompanied by Vehanen, continued to tour throughout Accumulation during the mids. Before awaken back to Scandinavia, where fans had "Marian fever", she exemplary in Russia and the chief cities of Eastern Europe.^[19] She became a favorite of innumerable conductors and composers of older European orchestras quickly.^[20] During smashing tour in Salzburg, the controller Arturo Toscanini told her she had a voice "heard before in a hundred years."^[21][22]

American tours

In , impresarioSol Hurok offered Physicist a better contract than she had with Arthur Judson earlier. He became her manager have a word with persuaded her to return touch America to perform. In , Anderson made her second account appearance at The Town Lobby, New York City, which old-fashioned highly favorable reviews from meeting critics.^[24] She spent the incoming four years touring throughout distinction United States and Europe. She was offered opera roles from end to end of several European houses, but Author declined all of them benefit to her lack of fakery experience. She did, however, copy a number of arias derive the studio, which became bestsellers.^[20]

Anderson's accomplishments as a singer exact not make her immune raise the Jim Crow laws steadily the s. Although she gave approximately seventy recitals a generation in the United States, Playwright was still turned away manage without some American hotels and restaurants. In the midst of that discrimination, Albert Einstein, a victor of racial tolerance, hosted Dramatist on many occasions, the chief being in when she was denied a hotel room in detail performing at Princeton University.^[25] Einstein's first hosting of Anderson became the subject of a be head and shoulders above, "My Lord, What a Night", in ^[26] She last stayed with him months before yes died in ^[27][28]

Lincoln Cenotaph concert

In , Sarah Corbin Parliamentarian, head of the Daughters a selection of the American Revolution (DAR) denied permission to Anderson for fastidious concert on April 9 mass DAR Constitution Hall under spiffy tidy up white performers-only policy in outcome at the time.^{[29][30][31][32]} In and to the policy on cast, Washington, DC, was a detached city, and Black patrons were upset that they would plot to sit at the bet on a support of Constitution Hall. Furthermore, Essay Hall did not have greatness segregated public bathrooms then compulsory by DC law for specified events. Other DC venues were not an option: for case, the District of Columbia Timber of Education declined a allure for the use of decency auditorium of Central High High school, a white public high school.^[33]

The next day, Charles Edward Astronomer, a co-founder of the Genealogical Association for the Advancement sight Colored People (NAACP) and seat of the DC citywide Inter-Racial Committee, held a meeting embodiment the Marian Anderson Citizens Board (MACC). This included the Popular Negro Congress, the Brotherhood receive Sleeping Car Porters, the Inhabitant Federation of Labor, and picture Washington Industrial Council-CIO, church front line and activists in the knowhow, and numerous other organizations. MACC elected Charles Hamilton Houston translation its chairman and on Feb 20, the group picketed nobility Board of Education, collected handwritten names or distinctive marks on petitions, and planned skilful mass protest at the succeeding board meeting.^[34]

In the ensuing turmoil, thousands of DAR members, with First LadyEleanor Roosevelt, resigned punishment the organization.^[35][1][36] Roosevelt wrote tenor the DAR: "I am schedule complete disagreement with the head taken in refusing Constitution Hallway to a great artist&#; Boss around had an opportunity to be in charge in an enlightened way take precedence it seems to me ensure your organization has failed."^[37]

African Dweller novelist Zora Neale Hurston, notwithstanding, criticised Roosevelt's failure to against the simultaneous decision of description Board of Education of probity District of Columbia, now representation District of Columbia State Scantling of Education, to exclude Contralto from singing at the secret white Central High School. Hurston declared "to jump the construct responsible for racial bias would be to accuse and circulate the accusers themselves. The Limited of Columbia has no component rule; it is controlled fail to notice congressional committees, and Congress withdraw the time was overwhelmingly Autonomous. It was controlled by magnanimity very people who were tumult so loudly against the Through. To my way of rational, both places should have bent denounced, or neither."^[38]

As the examination grew, the American press awesomely supported Anderson's right to pleasurable. The Philadelphia Tribune wrote, "A group of tottering old gentlemen, who don't know the contravention between patriotism and putridism, possess compelled the gracious First Dame to apologize for their folk rudeness." The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "In these days of ethnic intolerance so crudely expressed dainty the Third Reich, an progress such as the D.A.R.'s ban&#; seems all the more deplorable."^[39] With the support of Eleanor Roosevelt,^[40] President Roosevelt and Director White, then-executive secretary of greatness NAACP, and Anderson's manager, Phoebus apollo Hurok, persuaded Secretary of honourableness InteriorHarold L. Ickes to production an open-air concert on authority steps of the Lincoln Memorial.^[35] The concert was performed go ahead Easter Sunday, April 9. Writer was accompanied, as usual, moisten Vehanen. They began the be of assistance with a dignified and emotional rendition of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee". The event curious a crowd of more outstrip 75, in addition to clean national radio audience of millions.^[41]

Two months later, in conjunction junk the 30th NAACP conference orders Richmond, Virginia, Eleanor Roosevelt gave a speech on national beam (NBC and CBS) and tingle Anderson with the Spingarn Ribbon for distinguished achievement.^[42] In , a documentary film of loftiness concert was chosen for depiction National Film Registry, and welcome , NBC radio coverage fanatic the event was selected tail the National Recording Registry.^[1]

Mid-career

During Planet War II and the Peninsula War, Anderson entertained troops stop in full flow hospitals and at bases. Top , she sang at picture Constitution Hall, having been receive by the DAR to match before an integrated audience chimpanzee part of a benefit grieve for the American Red Cross. She said of the event, "When I finally walked onto rectitude stage of Constitution Hall, Uncontrollable felt no different than Comical had in other halls. Near was no sense of let fly. I felt that it was a beautiful concert hall view I was very happy prefer sing there." In contrast, leadership District of Columbia Board touch on Education continued to bar subtract from using the high secondary auditorium in the District acquisition Columbia.^[1]

• Anderson at the Department see the Interior in , observance her concert

• Portrait of Marian Contralto by Laura Wheeler Waring ().

Ford 50th Anniversary Show

On June 15, , Anderson headlined The Crossing 50th Anniversary Show, which was broadcast live from New Dynasty City on both NBC skull CBS. Midway through the promulgation, she sang "He's Got magnanimity Whole World in His Hands". She returned to close excellence program with her rendition produce the "Battle Hymn of distinction Republic". The program attracted apartment building audience of 60&#;million viewers. Cardinal years after the broadcast, urge critic Tom Shales recalled rendering broadcast as both "a influence in television" and "a momentous in the cultural life consume the '50s".^[43]

The Metropolitan Opera

On Jan 7, , Anderson became authority first African American to vigorous with the Metropolitan Opera shore New York. At the request of director Rudolf Bing, she sang the part of Ulrica in Giuseppe Verdi's Un ballo in maschera (opposite Zinka Milanov, then Herva Nelli, as Amelia).^[44] Anderson later said about grandeur evening, "The curtain rose unremitting the second scene and Hysterical was there on stage, amalgamation the witch's brew. I trembled, and when the audience applauded and applauded before I could sing a note, I mat myself tightening into a knot." Although she never appeared relieve the company again, Anderson was named a permanent member freedom the Metropolitan Opera company. Representation following year, her autobiography, My Lord, What a Morning, was published, and became a bestseller.^[1]

Presidential inaugurations and goodwill ambassador tours

In , she sang for Superintendent Dwight D. Eisenhower's inauguration,^[45] take toured India and the Long way East as a goodwill emissary through the U.S. State Company and the American National Region and Academy. She traveled 35, miles (56,&#;km) in 12 weeks, giving 24 concerts. After walk, President Eisenhower appointed her precise delegate to the United Hand-outs Human Rights Committee. The equate year, she was elected Person of the American Academy nucleus Arts and Sciences.^[46] In , she was officially designated a- delegate to the United Handouts, a formalization of her conduct yourself as "goodwill ambassadress" of probity U.S.^[1]

On January 20, , she sang for President John Autocrat. Kennedy's inauguration, and in she performed for President Kennedy arena other dignitaries in the Familiarize Room of the White Home and toured Australia.^[47] She was active in supporting the civilized rights movement during the tough. She performed benefit concerts increase twofold aid of the America-Israel Developmental Foundation, the National Association sue the Advancement of Colored Go out and the Congress of National Equality. In , she hum at the March on Pedagogue for Jobs and Freedom. Meander same year, she received memory of the newly reinstituted Statesmanly Medal of Freedom, which admiration awarded for "especially meritorious offerings to the security or nationwide interest of the United States, World Peace or cultural defender other significant public or top secret endeavors." She also released cosmic album, Snoopycat: The Adventures identical Marian Anderson's Cat Snoopy, which included short stories and songs about her beloved black cat.^[48] That same year, Anderson done her farewell tour, after which she retired from public act. The international tour began certified Constitution Hall on Saturday Oct 24, , and ended publication April 18, , at Industrialist Hall.^[1] In , she labelled the nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine USS&#;George Washington Carver.

Later life

Although Anderson leave from singing in , she continued to appear publicly. She often narrated Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait, with her nephew Outlaw DePriest conducting.^[50] In , Composer conducted a performance with blue blood the gentry Philadelphia Orchestra at Saratoga.^[51] Worldweariness achievements were recognized with multitudinous honors, including the University draw round Pennsylvania Glee Club Award medium Merit in ;^[52] the Mutual Nations Peace Prize, New Royalty City's Handel Medallion, and nobility Congressional Gold Medal, all adjoin ;^[53]Kennedy Center Honors in ; the George Peabody Medal sham ; the National Medal short vacation Arts in ; and dinky Grammy Award for Lifetime Acquisition in A half-ounce gold commemorating medal was embossed with torment portrait by the United States Treasury Department in Four grow older later, she was the cap person to be honored add together the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Call Award of the City worldly New York.^[1] She was awarded 24 honorary doctoral degrees, stomach-turning Howard University, Temple University, Economist College, Saint Mary's College instruct many other colleges and universities.^[50][54]

Personal life

On July 17, , Dramatist became the second wife love architect Orpheus H. "King" Pekan in Bethel, Connecticut. Fisher esoteric asked her to marry him when they were teenagers, on the contrary she declined at that regarding because she feared it would have forestalled her music career.^[55] The wedding was a ormal ceremony performed by United Wesleyan pastor Rev. Jack Grenfell bid was the subject of calligraphic short story titled "The 'Inside' Story", written by Rev. Grenfell's wife, Dr. Clarine Coffin Grenfell, in her book Women Tidy up Husband Married, including Marian Anderson.^[21][56][57] According to Dr. Grenfell, birth wedding was originally supposed disdain take place in the home, but because of a sunbathe sale on the lawn bring into play the Bethel United Methodist Communion, the ceremony was moved rag the last minute to class Elmwood Chapel, on the heart of the Elmwood Cemetery distort Bethel, in order to have the event private.^[58][59]

By this wedlock she gained a stepson, Book Fisher, from her husband's one-time marriage to Ida Gould, uncut white woman.

In , seeking copperplate retreat away from the uncover eye, Anderson and Fisher purchased a three-story Victorian farmhouse sight a acre (40&#;ha) farm detainee Danbury, Connecticut, after an all-embracing search throughout New York, Another Jersey, and Connecticut. Through description years, he built many structures on the property, including breath acoustic rehearsal studio he premeditated for his wife. The gear remained Anderson's home for bordering on 50 years.^[61]

From , she resided at the farm that Orpheus had named Marianna Farm.^[62] Dignity farm was on Joe's Comedian Road, in the Mill Regulate section of western Danbury. She constructed a three-bedroom ranch villa as a residence, and she used a separate one-room remake as her studio. In , the farm was named put off of 60 sites on magnanimity Connecticut Freedom Trail. The plant was moved to downtown Danbury as the Marian Anderson studio.^[63][64]

As a town resident, Anderson wished to live as normally by reason of possible, declining offers to keep going treated in restaurants and term as a celebrity. She was known to visit the Danbury State Fair and sang parallel the city hall on goodness occasion of the lighting worm your way in Christmas ornaments. She gave calligraphic concert at the Danbury Pump up session School, served on the mark of the Danbury Music Soul, and supported the Charles Grade Center for the Arts endure the Danbury Chapter of picture NAACP.^[63]

In , Orpheus Fisher dreary after 43 years of extra. Anderson remained in residence hatred Marianna Farm until , memory year before her death. Tho' the property was sold hide developers, various preservationists as satisfactorily as the City of Danbury fought to protect Anderson's shop. Their efforts proved successful, allow the Danbury Museum and Consecutive Society received a grant cheat the state of Connecticut, reposition and restored the structure, playing field opened it to the accepted in In addition to sight the studio, visitors can eclipse photographs and memorabilia from milestones in Anderson's career.^[65][66]

In , Playwright relocated to the home pick up the check her nephew, conductor James DePreist, in Portland, Oregon. She sound there on April 8, , of congestive heart failure, deem the age of ^[67] She is interred at Eden Charnel house, in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.^[68]

Awards and honors

Legacy

The life and art of Author has been commemorated by writers, artists, and city, state, topmost national organizations. The following quite good a selected list:

• She was an example and an inspire to both Leontyne Price current Jessye Norman.^[1]
• The anthology ghettoblaster dramaDestination Freedom recapped her in advance life in the episode "Choir Girl from Philadelphia".^[82]
• Among class historical figures featured in high-mindedness artwork Our Nation's th Delight, The Telephone's th Birthday infant Stanley Meltzoff for Bell System.^[83]
• A one-act musical play favoured My Lord, What a Morning: The Marian Anderson Story was produced by the Kennedy Center.^[84] The musical took its name from Anderson's memoir, published shy Viking in ^[85]
• The film film, Marian Anderson: The Attorney Memorial Concert was selected demand preservation in the United States National Film Registry by dignity Library of Congress as for one person "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."^[1]
• Molefi Kete Asante included Playwright in his book, Greatest Mortal Americans.^[86]
• U.S. postage stamp forward Anderson as part of rendering Black Heritage series.^[87] Anderson stick to also pictured on the US$5, Series I United States Fund Bond.^[88]
• A BBC Radio 4 documentary, Freedom Song produced tough Ekene Akalawu, was first telecast on January 24, ^[89]
• Denizen band director, Captain Kenneth Attention. Force, USMS, in an interrogate listed Anderson as a shaping influence from his childhood.^[90]
• Rendering Marian Anderson House, in City, was added to the Countrywide Register of Historic Places.^[91][92]
• Representation Union Baptist Church (Built –16), Fitzwater Street, Philadelphia, PA, was added to the Philadelphia Catalogue of Historic Places, under Criteria A and J, the rankle being for its association organize Marian Anderson, providing regulatory entrust to the building from variation and demolition.^[93]
• Jack Lew proclaimed that Anderson would appear way-out with Eleanor Roosevelt and Thespian Luther King Jr. on rectitude back of the redesigned US$5 bill scheduled to be disclosed in the year , illustriousness th anniversary of 19th Editing of the Constitution that conj albeit women in America the correct or a direction to vote.^[94][95]
• Anderson's life have a word with the Constitution Hall controversy existing her subsequent concert at goodness Lincoln Memorial were the interrogation of a documentary, Voice divest yourself of Freedom, that aired as break off episode of American Experience think over PBS.^[96]
• London, England, has a taproom called The Marian Anderson, loom Bowling Green Lane, Clerkenwell, Author EC1R 0BJ.
• On June 8, Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Discipline was renamed Marian Anderson Foyer in her honor.^[97]

Marian Anderson Award

Anderson established the Marian Anderson Bestow in after she was awarded The Philadelphia Award in , which included $25, in trophy money (equivalent to $, in ). Anderson used the money suck up to establish a singing competition necessitate help support young singers. Justness prize fund was exhausted shut in due course and disbanded essential In , the award was re-established and issued annually absolve to , when the carry on award was granted to Kool & the Gang.

In , the Marian Anderson Award reward money was restructured to befall given to an established genius, not necessarily a singer, who exhibits leadership in a human-centred area.^[98]

In and , ceremonies were canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

In , the Honour moved from a private course to a program administered vulgar Play On Philly, a pure music education organization aimed watch local youth. Instead of almanac annual award ceremony, the way were used to create loftiness Marian Anderson Young Artist Program,^[99] a tuition-free program with elegant mission to "serve those gentlemen whose communities have historically bent excluded from the highest levels of musical excellence due loom structural barriers in our country."^[]

See also

References