Marian Anderson: The Woman Who Sang for a Nation

February is Black History Month. Let’s Learn about Marian Anderson. She was a famous singer. She broke barriers when she sang.

When Marian Anderson was a young girl, she loved to sing. She sang solos in church. She was only six years old. Her family bought a piano. Marian taught herself to play! Her church raised money for her to take lessons. Soon, she sang in Europe.

Photo Credit: London Express/Stringer/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

February is Black History Month. Let’s Learn about Marian Anderson. She was a famous singer. She broke barriers when she sang.

In 1939, her manager tried to set up a concert. The owners of the concert hall said there were no dates she could sing. But that wasn’t true. The Hall only let white people perform.

Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady, heard about it. She invited Marian to sing on Easter. The concert was at the Lincoln Memorial. More than 75,000 people were there to hear her sing.

Photo Credit: World History Archive/Alamy Stock Photo

February is Black History Month. Let’s Learn about Marian Anderson. She was a famous singer. She broke barriers when she sang.

Marian became more famous. People made a mural to celebrate her concert. She is singing in front of it in this picture.

What Do You Think? What makes Marian Anderson an important person to know about? What did you learn that you didn’t know before?

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division [LC-DIG-fsa-8b07840]