Marian Anderson, born in Philadelphia on February 27, 1897, grew from "the baby contralto" to "the voice of the century." | American Experience | PBS

Marian Anderson was a world-renowned contralto whose 1939 performance at the Lincoln Memorial became a defining moment in American history. Her voice helped challenge discrimination and inspire change. #DST1913 #EasternRegionDST #TheEAST #DSTEasternRegion #BlackHistory #DeltaSigmaTheta | Eastern Region of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

On this day in 1939, Marian Anderson sang a public concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. She was originally slated to use Constitution Hall, but the DAR barred Anderson, citing their white-artists-only clause. Sound ON 🔊 to hear her powerful performance in a clip from Smithsonian Spotlight: Scurlock Studio. https://bit.ly/2Fc1J3z | Smithsonian Channel

On Easter Sunday, 1939, Marian Anderson stood in front of the band on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and stared out at an audience of 75,000. With tears in her eyes, the accomplished contralto sang "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "America" with heart-breaking pathos. Ms. Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia, PA on February 27, 1897. She would grow up to be the first African American to perform at both the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and at the White House. | American Expe

Anchored by key performances in her career, "Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands" shows how her quiet genius and breathtaking voice set the stage for Black performers in classical music. Later, she brought her resolute character to the fight for civil rights. "Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands" premieres February 8 at 9/8c on PBS. [VID: Archival footage and photographs of Marian Anderson with voiceover from experts and Anderson herself. Transcript: She was the first African