Bibliography:
Freedman, Russell. 2004. The Voice That Challenged a Nation. New York. Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-15976-2.
Plot Summary:
From washing front porch steps for ten cents to singing in the New York Metropolitan Opera House, Marian Anderson’s life is a story of true humble beginnings and grand accomplishments. Marian Anderson was born to a loving family in Philadelphia, but when her father died leaving her mother to raise three children, the family hit hard times. Marian stopped attending school after eighth grade because the cost of books, clothes, and social expenses was too great. She worked to help support her sisters and her mother. Marian stopped school, but she never stopped singing, which was her true passion in life. The strong black community that surrounded Marian recognized her talent and supported the young girl, even giving her money enough to re-enter school at age 19. They raised money to buy her an evening dress for concerts and to hire a voice coach for Marian, “…again the congregation of Union Baptist Church came to Marian’s aid, organizing a benefit concert that raised $566 so that she could study with Boghetti.” (p. 19). Support from the community and those closest to her proved to be vital to Marian’s success through out her career. Marian and Billy King began touring together giving concerts at black colleges and in small concert halls all over the country.
It was while on tour that Marian first experienced the humiliation of Jim Crow segregation laws. Marian wrote about this experience to her mother, “I had heard about Jim Crow, but meeting it bit deeply into the soul…I had looked closely at my people in that train. Some seemed to be embarrassed to the core. Others appeared to accept the situation as if it were beyond repair.” (p. 17). Marian’s career kept growing, and the young singer toured in Europe, singing for Kings and Queens, but when she returned to her home country, Jim Crow segregation laws and racial prejudice would cause the singer much heart ache. When trying to schedule Marian Anderson for a yearly concert, Howard University needed a large venue so they tried Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. The Daughters of the American Revolution had made a policy that no blacks could perform, and Howard University’s request was denied. Despite Marian Anderson being a world-renowned vocalist, having even performed at the White House, she was not to perform at a concert hall in her own country because of her race. Soon after hearing about this, Eleanor Roosevelt, herself a DAR member, resigned from the organization, writing to the President of DAR, “You had an opportunity to lead in an enlightened way, and it seems to me that your organization has failed.” (p. 54). Mrs. Roosevelt later explained in her newspaper column, “The question is, if you belong to an organization and disapprove of an action which is typical of a policy, should you resign or is it better to work for a changed point of view from within the organization? In this case…to remain as a member implies approval of that action, and I am therefore resigning.” (p. 54). Marian Anderson’s denial to sing in her home country outraged many people across the country. It was arranged for Anderson to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which “established the Lincoln Memorial as moral high ground for generations of protesters.” (p. 71). Mary Bethune soon encouraged Marian Anderson not to sing in places that practiced segregation, and Marian agreed. It was not long before the DAR invited one of the most sought after musicians, Marian Anderson to sing for their WWII benefit concert series in Constitution Hall. This time, Marian sang on her terms; no segregated audience would be allowed. In 1955, “Anderson broke one of the last remaining barriers to black singers in America. …she became the first African American to be a soloist at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.” (p. 82). Marian had never intended to be a social activist, but she felt someone in her position had a lot of power to change things. However, she never claimed to be anything more than a singer, “But it is not right for me to try to mimic somebody who writes or who speaks. That is their forte. I think first of music and of being there where music is, and of music being where I am. What I had was singing, and if my career has been of some consequence, then that’s my contribution.” (p. 92). She was appointed as a delegate to the UN, and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Her career was truly of great consequence.
Critical Analysis:
Marian Anderson’s life story is one of true inspiration, a Cinderella story. Russell Freedman does a fine job relating the events and facts of Marian’s life without turning it into a happily ever-after, Disney storybook. He has done much research and gives an accurate, authentic portrayal of Marian, a voice that challenged a nation, someone who is worthy of admiration. Freedman expertly balances his portrayal of the shy and humble side of Marian along with the brave, strong woman who advanced the fight for civil rights. Marian was humble until the very end. Before she died she gave directions to her nephew about her funeral arrangements, “Jim, don’t let them make a big fuss. And no speeches.” (p. 89). At her funeral, 14 of Marian’s recordings were played. After a standing ovation, that was it. Marian went out of this world as humbly as she entered.
This book is well-organized, following Marian’s life from beginning to end. In only 92 pages, the author’s inviting style paints a vivid picture of this woman who faced great adversity, but that is never the focus. The focus is on the entire woman, her race and struggles being second to her accomplishments. Freedman uses many artifacts in this book, including playbills, portraits, and pictures. There is some kind of graphic on almost every page, adding to the appeal of this Robert Sibert award-winning book.
This is an important book, Marian’s life is a significant part of American history. The racism Marian faced is shameful, her triumph inspiring- a story that we must not forget.
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Review Excerpts:
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9–In the initial chapter, Freedman movingly and dramatically sets the stage for the performer's historic 1939 Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial. In less than two pages, he captures the huge crowd's eager anticipation, briefly describes the controversy sparked by the Daughters of the American Revolution's refusal to allow Anderson to appear at Constitution Hall, and mentions the significance of the concert. He leaves readers at the moment when "A profound hush settled over the crowd.… she closed her eyes, lifted her head, clasped her hands before her, and began to sing." The author then switches to a chronological account of Anderson's life from her childhood in Philadelphia through her acclaimed U.S. and European concert tours in the 1920s and 1930s. He then gives a fuller account of the famous outdoor concert, which he refers to as a milestone in both musical and civil rights history. Freedman acknowledges that the singer did not set out to be a political activist or a crusader for civil rights. Numerous archival photographs, thorough chapter notes, a selected bibliography of works for both adult and younger readers, and a selected discography of currently available Anderson CDs are included. This inspiring work once again demonstrates Freedman's talent for showing how a person's life is molded by its historical and cultural context. Readers of Pam Muñoz Ryan's When Marian Sang (Scholastic, 2002) will appreciate this lengthier account of Anderson's life, as will all readers of biography, U.S. history, and musical history.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-8. In lush operatic style, Pam Munoz Ryan's picture-book biography When Marian Sang (2002), with beautiful illustrations by Brian Selznick, celebrated the triumph of the great African American vocalist in the face of the vicious segregation of her time. Now for middle-grade and junior-high readers comes this handsome, spaciously designed photo-biography. In his signature prose, plain yet eloquent, Freedman tells Anderson's triumphant story, with numerous black-and-white documentary photos and prints that convey her personal struggle, professional artistry, and landmark civil rights role. Everything leads up to her 1939 historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial, where, denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall, she thrilled a crowd of 75,000 and a national radio audience. Freedman reveals that Anderson never invited political confrontation, but with the support of such friends as Eleanor Roosevelt, she had a profound effect on the nation. Documentation is an essential part of her exciting story, with many pages of source notes as well as an enthusiastic, annotated bibliography, and, of course, a discography. Older readers and adults will want this, too. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Connections:
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2002. When Marian Sang. Scholastic. ISBN 0439269679.
Morrison, Toni. 2004. Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 061839740X.
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