This quilt is about Marion Anderson. Marian Anderson was a Black singer and one of the most celebrated singers of the 20th century. She gained fame for her rich voice and wide-ranging repertoire, which included classical, spirituals, and popular songs. Anderson is perhaps best known for her historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial on April 9, 1939, after being denied the opportunity to sing at Constitution Hall to an integrated audience. Due to racial discrimination her request was denied by the Daughters of the American Revolution. First lady Elenor Roosevelt and her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt enabled Anderson to give an open-air concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  She sang before an integrated audience of over 75,000 people. Millions of other people listened to her sing on the radio. This event became a significant moment in the civil rights movement, symbolizing the struggle against racial prejudice in America. Marion Anderson’s image is on the quilt as she sings on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which is pictured as well. I included the images of The Roosevelt’s, because they were instrumental in securing a place for Anderson to sing. Marion Anderson broke many racial barriers in the arts and became an important figure in the fight for Civil Rights, using her platform to advocate for equality and justice. She was also the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.

It is ironic the Daughters of the American Revolution were once so racist, they refused to let Marion Anderson sing at Constitution Hall. One of my quilts now hangs in the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum!