Spartanburg in Spartanburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Marian Anderson

1897-1993

Photographed By Brian Scott, February 14, 2011

1. Marian Anderson Marker

Inscription. Her contralto voice sang out in the twentieth century -- her life testified to her passion for music and the power of her voice to speak directly to the soul, encountering societal resistance as an African-American seeking educational and professional opportunities, Marian Anderson persevered, establishing a career as a recitalist in the United States and Europe. Her 1939 Easter Concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial reached a vast audience. With her historic 1955 operatic debut, Anderson became the first African-American performer to appear in a major role with the Metropolitan Opera. Marian Anderson's wish was to be recognized first and foremost for the artistic excellence exemplified in her concert, operatic and recorded performances. Issues of justice and equality were close to her heart, though. Anderson's musical triumphs are complemented by significant humanitarian achievements, including service as a delegate to the United Nations. From her birth in Philadelphia in 1897 until her death in 1993, Marian Anderson lived a life of passionate song.

Erected 2006.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.

Location. 34° 57.317′ N,

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81° 55.017′ W. Marker is in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in Spartanburg County. Marker can be reached from East Main Street (U.S. 29). Marker and statue are located in front of the southeast entrance of the Twichell Auditorium. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 580 East Main Street, Spartanburg SC 29302, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Converse College (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dexter Edgar Converse (about 400 feet away); Converse Heights (about 400 feet away); Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (about 500 feet away); First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, S.C. (approx. 0.4 miles away); Daniel Morgan Avenue (approx. half a mile away); Church of the Advent (approx. 0.6 miles away); Barnet Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); Don Reno / The Blue Ridge Quartet (approx. ¾ mile away); Walter Hyatt / DesChamps Hood (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spartanburg.

Also see . . . Marian Anderson. Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897 – April 8, 1993) was an American contralto and one of the most celebrated singers of the twentieth century. (Submitted on February 20, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Marian Anderson Marker and Statue -<br>Twichell Auditorium in Background image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, February 14, 2011

2. Marian Anderson Marker and Statue -
Twichell Auditorium in Background

Marian Anderson Statue -<br>Meredith Bergman (1955-) 2006 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, February 14, 2011

3. Marian Anderson Statue -
Meredith Bergman (1955-) 2006

Marian Anderson Statue<br>Sculptor<br>Meredith Bergman<br>(1955-)<br>2006 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, February 14, 2011

4. Marian Anderson Statue
Sculptor
Meredith Bergman
(1955-)
2006

Marian Anderson image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Allen C. Browne, February 16, 2015

5. Marian Anderson

This portrait of Marian Anderson by Betsy Graves Reyneau hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

“Arturo Toscanini said that Marian Anderson had a voice that came along ‘once in a hundred years.’ When one of Anderson's teachers first heard her sing, the magnitude of her talent moved him to tears. Because she was black, however, her initial prospects as a concert singer in this country were sharply limited, and her early professional triumphs took place mostly in Europe. The magnitude of her musical gifts ultimately won her recognition in the United States as well. Despite that acclaim, in 1939 the Daughters of the American Revolution banned her from performing at Constitution Hall. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt ultimately intervened and facilitated Anderson's Easter Sunday outdoor concert at the Lincoln Memorial—an event witnessed by 75,000 and broadcast to a radio audience of millions. The affair generated great sympathy tor Anderson and became a defining moment in America's civil rights movement.” — National Portrait Gallery

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on February 20, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,394 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 20, 2011, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 5. submitted on October 1, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.