114499271
Anderson, a South of South native, broke color barriers, becoming the first African-American to perform at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1935 and the White House the following year.
When the Daughters of American Revolution refused her presence at Constitution Hall, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes invited the contralto to perform at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in ’39. About 75,000 spectators gathered for what was the Washington D.C. location’s biggest crowd to date. Four years later, the group welcomed her to its stage. Anderson died in Portland, Ore. in 1993 due to congestive heart failure after suffering a stroke.
A recreation center bearing her name at 744 S. 17th St. that was dedicated to the graduate of South Philadelphia High School for Girls in ’54 continues to serve neighborhood youths while a historical society commemorates her childhood home at 762 S. Martin St., and reflects back on her singing days at Union Baptist Church and her career.
Contact Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com or ext. 117.
The South Philadelphia Walk of Fame 2013 inductees
/ Marian Anderson / Paul Arizin / Frankie Avalon / Joey Bishop / John Chaney /
/ James Darren / Angelo Dundee / Fabian / Larry Fine / Eddie Fisher /
/ Kenny Gamble / Frank Gasparro / Joey Giardello / Stephen Girard / Sherman Hemsley /
/ Irvin Kershner / Jack Klugman / Eddie Lang / Mario Lanza / Rob McElhenney /
/ Joe Medeiros / Earl "The Pearl" Monroe / Nathan Morris / Michelle Nader / Gene Perret /
/ Frank Rizzo / Bobby Rydell / Lisa Scottoline / Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter / Anna Verna /
114498741
114499281
