Facts on 17 February
1902 - Birth of Marian Anderson, Trailblazing Opera Singer

Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A gifted contralto, she was entered in the New York Philharmonic Competition at age 17 and placed first among 300 singers. In 1930, she was awarded a Rosenwald Fellowship, which allowed her to study in Europe, where she gained international acclaim. Anderson would later become a symbol of the struggle for civil rights, famously performing at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 after being denied the use of Constitution Hall due to her race.

Today's Other facts
Next » « Previous