• Marian Anderson Born

    Marian Anderson Born
    Marian Anderson born into a working class family in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • Period: to

    Birth to Death

  • Marian's Father Dies

    Marian's Father Dies
    Marian continues singing in her church choir.
  • Marian Begins Voice Lessons

    Marian Begins Voice Lessons
    Started voice lessons with saprano Mary Saunders Anderson, which introduced her to public concerts. Between 1916-1918 studided under contralto Agnes Reifsnyder. Began solo proformances in 1917 and in 1919 she studied with Oscar Sanger at the Chicago Conservatory of Music.
  • Carneie Hall Debut

    Carneie Hall Debut
    Furthered career.
  • Marian Continues On her Education and Voice Lessons

    Marian Continues On her Education and Voice Lessons
    Recent graduate from South Philadelphia Highschool for Girls (1921) and also continues her private voice lessons with Giuseppe Boghetti.
  • Enters Voice Competition, Starts Her Career

    Enters Voice Competition, Starts Her Career
    Entered a New York Philharmonic voice competition with over 300 competitors where she won first prize.
  • Toured Europe and Sang for Roosevelts

    Toured Europe and Sang for Roosevelts
    Reputation was more established in Europe. Not well known in the US. Sang for president Roosevelt. First African American invited to sing at the White House.
  • Sang at Lincoln Memorial

    Sang at Lincoln Memorial
    Easter Sunday Concert at the Lincoln Memorial, attended by 75,000 people; Millions more listened to the radio broadcast of this event.
  • Made Debut at Metropolitan Opera in New York

    Made Debut at Metropolitan Opera in New York
    First African American to perform in at Metropolitan.
  • Made Delegate of the United Nations

    Made Delegate of the United Nations
    Formalized role of goodwill ambassador. This picture is of a statue in Marians honor, located in Spartanburg, SC.
  • Sang at John F. Kennedy'd presidential Inauguration

    Sang at John F. Kennedy'd presidential Inauguration
    Later in 1963 Marian recieved the Presidential Medal of Freedom from John F. Kennedy.
  • Retired From Singing

    Retired From Singing
    extended farewell world tour (from 1964-1965)
  • Began Recieving Awards for her Acheivments.

    Began Recieving Awards for her Acheivments.
    Won the United Nations Peace Prize. Gala concert at Carnegie Hall marking her 75th birthday; received New York City's Handel Medallion.
    1978 - Honored for lifetime achievement by the Kennedy Center
    1984 - Received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award.
    1986 - Husband Orpheus Fisher dies; Awarded National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts
    1991- Grammy for Lifetime Achievemnet
  • Marian Anderson Death

    Marian Anderson Death
    Dies at the age of 96 in Portland, Oregon.