On Easter Sunday, 1939, contralto Marian Anderson stepped up to a microphone in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Inscribed on the walls of the monument behind her were the words “all men are created equal.” Barred from performing in Constitution Hall because of her race, Marian Anderson would sing for the American people in the open air. Hailed as a voice that “comes around once in a hundred years” by maestros in Europe and widely celebrated by both white and black audiences at home, Marian Anderson's fame hadn’t been enough to spare her from the indignities and outright violence of racism and segregation.
GBH Contributor Sue O'Connell chats with American Experience Executive Producer, Cameo George, and historian, Adriane Lentz-Smith, about American Experience's latest film Voice of Freedom. We give you an exclusive look into Anderson's rich life story and explore fundamental questions about talent, race, fame, democracy, and the American soul.
