> In 1939, which American singer performed from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial,after being denied an indoor venue?And the answer: Marian Anderson. Photo credit: NPR.org.Born in Philadelphia in 1897, Marian Anderson became aninternationally acclaimed singer in her 20s and 30s. And yet in 1939, concertvenues in Washington, DC refused to have her perform, due to whites-onlypolicies. So Eleanor Roosevelt arranged for her to sing at the Lincoln Memorialto an outdoor audience of 75,000 people.Long before Anderson's gorgeous contralto voice rang out across the NationalMall, Anderson developed a love for music. At age six, Anderson joined thejunior choir at her local Baptist church, earning her the nickname "The BabyContralto." At age 8, Anderson began to teach herself piano. By 13, Anderson wasaccepting invitations to sing at other churches, as her talent became well-knownaround the community. Sometimes performing at as many as three churches in anight, Anderson humbly requested $5 per performance. After high school, Anderson began embarking on formal tours across the southernUnited States, performing for largely Black colleges and churches. It was aroundthis time that Anderson won several intense competitions that allowed her toexpand her showcase abilities and engage a white audience. In 1928, Andersonperformed a solo recital at Carnegie Hall. Thanks to a scholarship, the increasingly well-known singer embarked on aEuropean tour. Her audiences were moved by her clear, beautiful tone – evencritics of the art found great joy in her performance. In fact, Jean Sibelius, a70-year-old famous Finnish composer was so moved that he dedicated his song"Solitude" to her, stating, "The roof of my house is too low for your voice."Back in the States, Anderson enjoyed the height of her success. The singerperformed several more times at Carnegie Hall and New York's Town Hall, meetinggreat shows of support. After her famous Washington performance, remarkably,Anderson stated: > “I said yes, but the yes did not come easily or quickly. I don’t like a lot ofshow, and one could not tell in advance what direction the affair would take. Istudied my conscience. As I thought further, I could see that my significanceas an individual was small in this affair. I had become, whether I like it ornot, a symbol, representing my people."Anderson went on to sing at several Presidential inaugurations, earn recognitionwith the National Medal of Arts, and give countless other breathtakingperformances. Her legacy lives on today as a master of her art, undeterred, inthe face of discrimination. To learn more about Anderson's life and legacy, check out this[https://www.npr.org/2014/04/09/298760473/denied-a-stage-she-sang-for-a-nation] NPR Morning Edition piece.