By Sophia Hysaw, Opinion Editor & Staff Writer
Marian Anderson, born in Philadelphia, Penn., on Feb. 27, 1897, was a very famous African American singer. Although her family was financially unable to support an education in music for her, she sang in the choir at her church and learned all the parts for the songs.
When she was 19, her talent impressed Giuseppe Boghetti so much that she became his pupil and learned from him. Throughout her life she sang around the world and was widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest contraltos, but even still she faced discrimination and refusals to sing at certain events due to her race.
When the Daughters of the American Revolution did not permit her to sing at certain concert facilities in Washington, it caused widespread disheavel and many resigned from the DAR including Eleanor Roosevelt. Once she drew an audience of 75,000 people, and she began to win countless awards and even went on to be a goodwill ambassador for America and a delegate for the United Nations. She is still remembered as one of the most talented and groundbreaking contraltos of her time.