Marian Anderson: A Serene Spirit

  • Glenda E. Gill
Chapter

Abstract

Marian Anderson, arguably the greatest contralto of the twentieth century, had a self-possession under stress that few have. By her own admission, she was “not equipped for hand-to-hand combat” (The New York Times 9 Apr. 1993). Born 27 February 1897, in dire poverty, Marian Anderson chose the quiet, regal way. Scrubbing doorsteps in her native Philadelphia, this strong Christian woman knew that God had given her a unique instrument—her voice. To be a black unmarried woman singer meant a struggle: at auditions, with management, with audiences.

Keywords

Concert Hall Colored People Public Accommodation African American Literature York Public Library 
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Works Cited

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Copyright information

© Glenda E. Gill 2000

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  • Glenda E. Gill

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