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| Marian Anderson Portrait, 1940 Carl Van Vechten |
When Marian Anderson passed away in 1993 at the age of 96 the world lost one of the finest voices of the 20th century. She swept to international fame in 1939 with a public performance at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) had denied her the opportunity to perform in their venue, Constitution Hall, because she was black. The decision didn't sit well with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who sat on the national board of directors of the DAR. Mrs.Roosevelt intervened and helped arrange one of the iconic events of our time.
Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia on this day in 1897.
Sources
Photos and Illustrations:
Anderson portrait, Carl Van Vechten Collection, Library of Congress
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