Katheryn Russell-Brown - She Persisted: Marian Anderson

A long, long time ago, it was common for some mothers to deliver their babies at home. On February 27, 1897, Marian Elina-Blanche Anderson was born in a room in a house on Webster St. in South Philadelphia. Marian was Anna and John Andersons first child. Then came Alyse, and next was Ethel.

Marians parents worked hard to keep a roof over their heads. John worked in the refrigerator room at the Reading Terminal Market. He also sold ice and coal. Besides taking care of her three girls, Anna was a seamstress and she did other folks laundry. Marian always looked forward to her dad coming home from workespecially on those Fridays when he brought pound cake!

Early on, Marian showed an interest in music. Before she turned two, she would sit at her toy piano, hit the keys, and make up songs. She loved hearing and making sounds with or without an instrument. Anna said Marian could stay busy for an hour clapping her hands, stomping her feet, and singinglala-lala-la! Marian was delighted with all the different sounds she could make.

Marian couldnt help but love music. It was everywhere. At home, Anna and John sang hymns around the house, and the family sang songs together after dinner. After Marians daddy bought a used piano, she would sit next to him on the bench and practice the scales. Sometimes he let Marian think she was teaching him how to play.

Just going outside was a musical adventure. One day when she was about eight years old, Marian went on an errand for her mother and heard a piano playing. She followed the sounds of the tinkling melody up some steps, and there she saw a woman in the window, hands on the piano keys, making beautiful music. The woman was brown, like Marian. Hmmm, Marian thought, If she can, I can.

Music was at school, tooin music class. And when other students had their music lessons in a nearby classroom, she could hear them singing through the walls. She was mesmerized. The sound of their voices was a sweet inspiration for young Marian, who sang along quietly. When she heard the singing, Marian no longer heard what her teacher was saying.

Music embraced Marian like a cozy blanket on a chilly night.

At age six, she joined the junior choir at Union Baptist Church. Marians powerful voice stood out among the others. At age seven, the choir director had her sing a duet with another girl in the choir. Their song was Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd. Marian practiced like she was going to sing at Carnegie Hall, one of the most famous concert halls in the country! The performance was a success. Everyone could hear the talent in Marians voice. That was the first time that Marian Anderson sang in public.

Marian also sang duets with her aunt at church. Pretty soon her aunt was signing her up to sing at community events all around town. Marian was paid a quarter, sometimes fifty cents to sing. That was a lot of money for a young person to earn back then. Marian became so popular, flyers were made to advertise her upcoming performances. One included her photograph and said, come and hear the baby contralto, ten years old!

Contralto is considered the lowest singing voice for a woman. Marians voice was deep and rich. But that wasnt all. One minute she could make her voice climb the scales higher and higher. The next, she could just as beautifully make her voice climb back down the scales. Her voice was like a bird in flightit could fly up high and swoop down low. When Marian performed, the audience was in awe of her voicean earful of stunning sounds.