today in Black history - feb 27

Musical Icon Marian Anderson was born on February 27, 1897

Marian Anderson singing at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, Easter Sunday, 1939. PBS.

Marian Anderson was so clearly talented as a child that her church congregation took up a collection to cover the costs of her music lessons. It was from this broad base of love, support, and belief in her potential (they called it Marian Anderson's Future Fund) that one of the greatest American singers was brought to the world stage to break down barriers and become "the first" on multiple occasions.

There are a number of great biographies and documentaries about Marian Anderson. If you're short on time, you might give this NPR story from 2019 a listen:

If you have more time to devote to learning about the life and legacy of this incredible singer, try checking out this PBS documentary:

The Smithsonian also has some wonderful archival images.