Marian Anderson: A Voice Uplifted (Sterling Biographies Series)

Marian Anderson’s majestic voice mesmerized the nation—but her courage in confronting racism was equally inspirational. “When I sing,” she stated, “I want them to see my soul. And that is colorless.” Anderson became the first African-American to record spirituals for a major recording company; the first to perform as a soloist at the Philharmonic Society’s Academy of Music; and the first to appear on the stage of the exalted Metropolitan Opera House. In 1939, when she was banned from singing in Washington’s Constitution Hall, Marian made history by performing for a crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial. Victoria Garrett Jones (Sterling Biographies: Eleanor Roosevelt: A Courageous Spirit) tells Anderson’s remarkable story, which travels from Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhood to the world’s finest concert stages.