Marian Anderson (a reference made by Rev. J. Wright tonight)

[IcyPeas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQnzb0Jj074

I remember my mother telling me about her -- how she wasn't allowed to play in a lot of halls in America because she was black..... and yet she seemed to be loved by most..... how did that make sense? She was more accepted in Europe back in her day.

[nichomachus]

1. Marian Anderson

The turning point in her career came in 1939, when she was thrust into the forefront of America's conscience and the growing struggle for racial equality. In one afternoon, she became a symbol of African-American hopes. Anderson had been booked for a concert in Constitution Hall in the nation's capital, a building owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Evidently, no one at the DAR realized at first that she was black. When this fact was brought to the organization's attention, her recital date was canceled. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR in protest, ensuring that what had been a thoughtless act quickly became a national issue. This led to an invitation from the Secretary of the Interior to Anderson to give her concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. This she did on Easter Sunday, 1939, before a crowd estimated at 75,000.

Finally, in 1955, the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, Rudolf Bing, invited the contralto to make her operatic debut at his theater. She became the first black singer on the Met's roster. She was also an American delegate to the United Nations, sang at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Later, a Congressional Gold Medal was struck expressly to honor her.

[IcyPeas]

2. seems we are moving ahead .... but very slowly

[Karenina]

15. Not really...

Ever heard of the Queen Trumpetess, Clora Bryant?

[malaise]

3. Same with the great Paul Robeson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQD3p6NyzM&feature=related

He was treated better in Europe.

[Beregond2]

5. In Robeson's case,

the fact that he was an avowwed communist, and often used his concerts as opportunities to speak about the wonders of communism, had a lot to do with it. My parents witnessed this in person once.

Marian Andersen was the aunt of James DePriest, conductor of the Oregon Symphony for many years.

[malaise]

6. He was socialist but because he was welcomed in the Soviet

Union, the establishment was pissed and gave him hell.

edit.

[IcyPeas]

7. look at these Lyrics to Old Man River.... here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRiZiVvdX4g&feature=related

it's like another thing Wright was talking about... how our "english" DIFFERS -- just look at the lyrics and spelling -- and it's still the same.... it's DIFFERENT it's not DEFICIENT..... it's poetry

[malaise]

9. I love that version n/t

[defendandprotect]

4. Eleanor Roosevelt made an end-run around one of the white women's groups

- Daughters of the American Revolution/? --- and had Marian Anderson sing outdoors at the Capitol --
there's some wonderful film of this appearance by Ms Anderson ---

Again --- yes, a wonderful talent -- which threatened whites.

Again --- Paul Robeson another unbelievably talented and intelligent man who was suppressed because he was so intelligent and talented.

[Frances]

8. One of the reasons I admire Eleanor Roosevelt so much

is that she resigned from the DAR after the DAR refused to allow Marion Anderson to sing in their hall.

[defendandprotect]

11. Love her . . . and have you read some of the

biographies . . . quite a gal!

[Frances]

14. I am half way through No Ordinary Time by

Doris Kearns Goodwin right now.

It's a very interesting book. And, yes, Eleanor was an extremely interesting woman. I think she and her Uncle Teddy were very alike in temperament. No wonder Teddy's daughter was jealous of Eleanor.

[goclark]

10. I met Marian Anderson and listened to her sing from behind the

curtains.

I won a Poetry Contest for African American students in the segregated schools.

Marion Anderson was appearing in the Whites Only Concert Hall.

My mother took me, all dressed up, to recite my poem to Miss Anderson before her performance.

To our disappointment we were not able to sit in the audience because African Americans could not sit in the Hall.

I suppose that Miss Anderson arranged for us to sit in the best seats in the house,I could hear her amazing voice within 6 feet from my special chair behind the curtain.

She was so gracious and stately.

[defendandprotect]

12. When people think that this is somehow all behind us as Americans . . .

I'm shocked . . .
here you are talking about your experience of being barred as a young girl from sitting in a theater
because of your color --- !!!

I'm just watching -- well, texting -- C-span listening to Edna Greene Medford/Howard University ...
kept up with most of what she's been saying --- she's terrific ---
much of discussion about Lincoln --

BUT . . . Brian Lamb asked her about Obama's run and how big the disappointment would be for the African-American community if he doesn't make it and she so rightly pointed out what a great disappointment it will be for so many - not only African-Americans --- but the young.

I'm not young or African-American, but I'll be tremendously disappointed, as well.

I can also remember visiting the South as a six and a half year old ---
seeing the brutal chain gangs in the fields --- white and black separated --
and being stunned as I sat on a bus with my grandmother and an African-American woman about her age
came onto the bus and there was some confusion about seating and she sat way behind us.
I was shocked at this disrespect for someone just like my own grandmother.

Ms Medford was just speaking about AA's not feeling yet "entitled" as Americans ---
and she specifically spoke about how she feels when she see a police officer.
Obviously, she feels threatened. And I don't think this is accidental --- I think we've had
this brutalizing of police enforcement across the nation increasingly over decades.

I'd like to see more discussion of "racism" which certainly exists as something taught, but
as really exploitation which is the purpose behind it.

[Karenina]

13. Auntie Dorothy...

http://www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=920665948