Anderson’s life and career continues to be celebrated and studied by a diverse group of learners from schoolchildren to musicologists and social historians. Additionally, in 1955, she was the first Black singer to perform in a lead role on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.Īnderson officially retired from the stage in 1965. After having been denied permission by the Daughters of the American Revolution to perform for an integrated audience in Constitution Hall, Anderson famously performed an open-air concert for 75,000 people on Easter Sunday, April 9, 1939, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Best known as an interpreter of art songs and spirituals, Anderson performed in diverse venues throughout her career, from schools and community centers to formal concert stages.Ī world-renowned recitalist, Anderson was also a high-profile figure in the fight for Civil Rights. Marian Anderson (1897–1993) was born and raised in Philadelphia, with close ties to the community.
“Through Anderson’s digitized collection, scholars and students worldwide can discover and reflect on her life and career and further illuminate her social, cultural, and historical impact.” Carton Rogers III Vice Provost and Director of the Penn Libraries. “Marian Anderson achieved worldwide renown as a singer while breaking racial barriers in the United States, and the Penn Libraries is honored to serve as custodian of her archival legacy,” says Constantia Constantinou, H. The newly digitized materials complement a significant collection of four thousand photographs, which are also publicly accessible. The digitization project was funded in 2018 by a $110,000 grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources. The body of primary sources in the collection - including letters, diaries, journals, interviews, recital programs, and private recordings - spans the Philadelphia-born contralto’s six-decade career as a concert singer and advocate for social justice.
The University of Pennsylvania Libraries has completed the digitization of more than 2,500 items from the collection of Marian Anderson, one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century.