Marian Anderson

Hello, my name is Marian Anderson, and I want to share my story with you. I was born in a city called Philadelphia on February 27th, 1897. Ever since I was a little girl, my favorite thing to do was sing. I sang in my church choir, and my voice was so big and strong that they called me 'The Baby Contralto.' My family didn't have much money for fancy lessons, but our community believed in me. My friends and neighbors all pitched in to help me study music so I could share my voice with the world.

When I grew up, the world was not always a kind place. Some people treated others unfairly just because of the color of their skin. A famous music school wouldn't let me in because I was Black. It hurt my feelings, but I decided it would not stop me from singing. I traveled all the way across the ocean to Europe, and there, I sang in grand halls for kings and queens. People loved my music, and I was so happy to share it.

One of the most important days of my life was in the year 1939. I was invited to sing in a very large building called Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. But the people who owned the hall said no because of my race. Many people, including the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, knew this was wrong. They helped arrange for me to sing somewhere even more special: on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. On Easter Sunday, April 9th, 1939, I sang for a huge crowd of 75,000 people of all different backgrounds. It was a beautiful day, and my voice rang out for everyone to hear.

My journey had another very special moment. On January 7th, 1955, I stepped onto the stage at the famous Metropolitan Opera in New York City. I was the very first African American to sing a main role there. It was a dream come true. By stepping onto that stage, I helped open the door for many other talented singers of all colors to follow their own dreams.

I lived to be 96 years old, and my life was filled with music. People remember me today not just for my voice, but for using it to stand for fairness and to bring people together. I hope my story reminds you that your voice, no matter how you use it, has the power to make the world a more beautiful and loving place.