Biography Essay On Marian Anderson

Marian Anderson was born on February 27, 1897 in Philadelphia. She was the daughter of John Berkley Anderson and Annie Delilah Rucker. Her father sold ice and coal at the reading terminal in down town Philadelphia and eventually had a small liquor business too. Her mother prior to her marriage was attending Virginia seminary and College in Lynchburg, and also worked as a school teacher in Virginia. Anderson was the eldest of three children, Alice (which later changed the spelling of her name to Alyse) and Ethel Anderson. Alyse also was a singer and Ethel married James DE Priest and later had a son James Anderson DE Priest he was a note conductor. Anderson’s whole family was very devoted Christian. Anderson’s Aunt Mary was especially active
in the church music life, and she noticed that her niece talent and she got her to join the junior choir at their church at the age of six. Marian and her aunt Mary would go to the YMCA, concerts at churches, and other community music events.
Marian Anderson credits her aunt Mary for influencing her as the reason why she pursued a music career. At that age of twelve, Marian’s father was struck on the head at work at the Reading Terminal, and a few weeks before Christmas in 1909, he died at age 24. After the death of her father Marian her mother and her two sisters went to live in their father’s parents’ house Grandpa Benjamin and grandma Isabella. Marian’s grandfather was born a slave and had been emancipated in the 1860s. He and Marian were very close. Marian Anderson attended Stanton Grammar School, and graduated in the summer of 1912, but was unable to attend high school because her family couldn’t afford it. could they pay for singing lessons. Anderson continued to perform wherever she could and learned from anyone who taught her. Through her teenage life Marian Anderson stayed active in her church music activities. Anderson joined the “Baptism Young Peoples Union, and the campfire Girls which provided her with musical opportunities. Eventually the director of the people’s chorus and her pastor helped raise money for her to get singing lessons and she graduated in
1921. After, Anderson applied to an all-white music school, the Philadelphia Music Academy (now University of the Arts), but was not accepted because she was black. Anderson didn’t let that affect her; she continued her education privately with Giuseppe Boghetti and Agnes Reifsnyder in Philadelphia with funds that were raised by her pastor and the Philadelphia black community. Anderson auditioned singing “Deep River”; it brought tears to his eyes. In 1925, Anderson won first prize in a singing competition sponsored by the New York Philharmonic. This accomplishment afforded her the opportunity to perform in concert with the orchestra on August 26, 1925. This performance scored her immediate success with both the audience and music critics. Marian stayed in New York to continue her education with Frank La Forge. During this time Arthur Judson, whom Marian Anderson met through New York Philharmonic became her manager. Over several years, she many concert appearances in the United States, but due to her race she was unable to expand her career. In 1928, she sang for the first time at Carnegie Hall. Eventually she was able to go to Europe. Anderson spent studied for a while with Sara Charles-Cahier before beginning a European tour that brought her much success. In 1939, The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused to allow Anderson to sing to an integrated audience at Constitution Hall. At that period in time Washington was a segregated city and black concert goers were upset that they had to sit in the back at the Constitution Hall. In 1930, Anderson debuted in Europe at Wigmore Hall in London. She received enthusiasm about her presence there. While touring in Europe in the 1930’s she didn’t encounter any racial prejudices like she did in the United States.
In the summer of 1930, she went to Scandinavia where Marian met Kosti Vehanen, the Finnish pianist who became her regular accompanist and also her vocal coach for many years. In 1934 Sol Hurok offered Anderson a better contract than the one she had with Rather Judson, and he became her manager for the balance of her career. His persuasion got her back to performing in the United States and in 1935 had her first performance in New York, Town Hall, which got her highly favored reviews. On Easer Sunday, April 9 of the same year, Marian Anderson sang “My Country, Tiss of Thee” at the Lincoln Memorial, you can find the video of the performance on “Youtube” it was amazing. During the Korean War, Marian Anderson entertained the troops in hospitals and bases. Marian Anderson was the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She also sang for Presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy’s inaugurations. On July 17, 1943 in Bethel, Connecticut, Anderson became the second wife of Orpheus H. Fisher. She had a stepson named James Fisher. They lived happily on a 100 acre farm in Danbury, Connecticut. Marian Anderson retired from singing in 1965. After retirement, she narrated lots of performances and did
appearances. In 1986 Marian Anderson’s husband Orpheus H. Fisher died. Marian remained on the farm until 1992. Marian Anderson died one year later on April 8, 1993 of congestive heart failure at the age of 96. She passed in Portland, Oregon at the home of her nephew James De Priest, a conductor. She is buried at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. After Marian’s death, the 100 acre farm was sold to developers. Many historians as well as the City of Danbury argued to have her studio remain as it was before her death. They were successful in their fight and the Danbury Museum and Historical Society received a grant to move and refurbish the structure. Marian Anderson’s studio opened to the public in 2004.