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The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America

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Raymond Arsenault has written an indispensable chronicle of vocalist Marian Anderson's historic Lincoln Memorial concert within the framework of America's Civil Rights odyssey. Painstakingly researched, "The Sound of Freedom" offers an enigmatic portrait of Anderson before and after her iconic 1939 performance - mirrored by the significant inroads toward racial equality. The book represents an inspired companion piece to Arsenault's "Freedom Riders" (2006) and essential reading for international historians.

Oh, what a world contralto Marian Anderson lived in; segregation, Jim Crow laws, and the dehumanizing effects of institutionalized racism were everyday facets of her life. That such a beautiful flower blossomed amongst the filth of the shadows of our country is, in itself, an amazing story, which is explored in Raymond Arsenault's new book "The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert that Awakened America."

Marian Anderson, a deep soul with an even deeper, richer voice, appeared in America during one of her most racist times. As Arsenault points out, Anderson was born around the same time that the Supreme Court wrongly sanctioned "separate but equal" in Plessy V. Ferguson. Living in Philadelphia during this time, Anderson grew up with segregation in every venue; from schools to jobs to her performing life as an adult. Not even able to enroll in a music school because she was black, Marian forged her own way, taking advantage of the less racially restrictive Europe before becoming a sensation here at home.

It's in this first part of the book that the narrative somewhat lags and longs for the momentum that will eventually come in the second part of the story, which focuses on Anderson's triumphant concert tour. Arsenault strives to create the world of Anderson, but in doing so, becomes occasionally overwrought with details, details, all of which are important, but seem to weigh down Anderson's early story. It's essential to understand early 20th century America, to understand the later impact of Anderson standing on the steps of the Memorial in honor and defiance.

Once he enters the Washington of the 1930's, though, the book soars and suddenly sparks alive, with the introduction of some well-known and well-explored characters like the Roosevelts, Harold Ickes, Walter White, former NAACP president and instrumental in getting Anderson to sing in Washington DC. Anderson begins to see her role, not only as one of the world's greatest singers, but also, as possibly an impetus to move a country, so mired it its own racist muck.

Always poised, always dignified, Anderson burns with an eloquent fire as she takes the stage in front of the Memorial, and suddenly, the book seems to melt away. I've heard segments of recordings of the event; Arsenault captures the moment beautifully. Her singing of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" is not only an honoring of the country of her birth, but one of protest as she finishes the song "Let Freedom Ring" ... freedom that she herself, was denied, because of the color of her skin.

In the end, finishing the book, I grew to appreciate Marian Anderson more, and learned a few new terms about our country's racial past. While the book seemed uneven at times, I found it to be an interesting read, and one that I would recommend.

Marian Anderson is one of the true unsung heroes of our country. She stood up for what was right, forged new paths for our African-American citizens, and helped to dismantle some barriers that stood in her way. Its about time that her story sees the light of day.

Some of the most revealing books published in recent years relate to detailed and complex explanations of singular events. I am reminded especially of such classic works as David Hackett Fischer's "Washington's Crossing" (Oxford, 2004) and Beverly Gage's "The Day Wall Street Exploded: A Story of America in its First Age of Terror" (Oxford, 2009). The well-known historian of civil rights in the United States, Raymond Arsenault, follows this same path in his latest work, "The Sound of Freedom." Arsenault takes the experience of singer Marian Anderson's concert before 75,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Easter Sunday 1939 to explore not only this significant event but the trajectory of civil rights in the U.S. in the middle decades of the twentieth century.

Marian Anderson, a Philadelphia native, performed in this setting because she had been barred from a performance at the Daughters of the American Revolution-controlled Constitution Hall in Philadelphia because of her race. Eleanor Roosevelt was outraged, resigned from membership in the DAR, and instigated a national debate over black-white relations in America. This concert resulted from that episode.

But the real climax of the story came in 1963 when Anderson performed in the Martin Luther King-led March on Washington. That time, her audience was more than 300,000 and the Civil Rights Crusade was helping to change the American landscape in ways not truly appreciated until many years later.

Arsenault's book is not a biography of Marian Anderson, although there is considerable information about her life and career contained in it. If you are seeking a biography, "The Sound of Freedom" is not really the best place to look.

On the other hand, if you wish to learn more about the Civil Rights Crusade of the mid-twentieth century this is an excellent starting point. It is, most importantly, a reasoned consideration of the place of race in modern American society, and how changes have taken place over time. Anderson's experience serves Arsenault's purpose as a useful vehicle for investigating deeper fissures in the social fabric. Arsenault does an admirable job in illuminating this story.

"The Sound of Freedom's" most significant accomplishment is its ability to use a seemingly singular event to illuminate a much broader, and infinitely significant, theme in modern U.S. history. As such, this is an admirable work, one that is well researched, documented, and written.

In 1964, I was at D.A.R. Constitution Hall when Marian Anderson stepped onto the stage. We understood that this was much more than the start of her farewell tour and much more than a concert. This was, in the author's words, "a moment of sweet irony". This book is the story of the woman who stood on the stage that night.
This book succeeds on many levels. It is an excellent artistic biography detailing the beginnings, training and performances of Marian Anderson. This is the story of the development of a very gifted young Black girl from Philadelphia into a celebrated international singer. On another level, this is a history of race relations in America from 1900 to 1970. Ms Anderson, due to her voice, traveled much more than the average person travel. She experienced the discrimination against Blacks across the country and in Europe on a personal level. These events have a personal perspective that is missing in most histories on race during this time. The author brings a wealth of experience in writing about Civil Rights to this area of the book, adding the historical perspective that personal memories might lack. The combination can be disturbing but makes for powerful reading.
The author includes very little of Anderson's personal life and almost nothing about it after she reaches her 20s. It is as if she had no life outside of training, concerts and discrimination. This lack of information reduces her to a symbolic figure and steals the real person from the reader. Another problem is the authors writing style that seems more suited to a legal document. This very formal style made parts of the book seem repetitive, giving me a feeling of rereading a chapter.
This is not a bad biography but it lacks personal information and might be weighed down by the author's background as a Civil Rights historian. I found it a difficult read, slow going at times but worth the effort.

Aresenault presents a thorough, enlightening (if sometimes tragic) picture of both one of the greatest singers of the 20th century and the civil rights struggles of the US. This book is quite valuable for both the history of the nation and of music. There are extensive notes showing the very detailed research.

However, though the topic was intriguing, I did not care for the author's style of writing. The grammar, sentence structure, and overall presentation reminded me of biographies I read at the age of 8 or 9. Perhaps it is aimed at children and adolescents, and, if so, it would be an 'eye opener' well suited to those born after the era, presented at a level of speech they could easily understand. It did not appeal to me.

It is quite a valuable work, and rich in detail. The conflict over Miss Anderson's appearance, which is a strong focus, has a scope and implications which show how monumental this stride had been.

At the foot of the Lincoln Memorial's statue, a solitary figure held the gathered mixed race audience enthralled as they listened to her extraordinary voice soar above them. World renown contralto, Marian Anderson delivered an Easter morning performance that held the crown spellbound. When she sang her final notes there was silence, then an enthusastic crowd pressed forward, many believing they had seen a once in a lifetime event.. As Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes said as he had introduced the artist..."In this great auditorium under they sky all of us are free. ...Genius like justice is blind. For genius has touched with the tip of her wing this woman....Genius draws no color line."

Much is known of the refusal of the Daughters of the American Revolution's refusal to allow Marian Anderson to perform in Constitution Hall and the extraordinary efforts made in Anderson's behalf to find a venue for the Easter morning concert. First lady Eleanore Roosevelt tendered her resignation from the DAR as a result of this refusal. Not as much is known about the constrained, refined, articulate woman who was in the eye of this storm. Marian Anderson began performing at an early age. The Anderson family was of modest means and her father's death made the chance of musical instruction remote. Local churches attempted to assist, but her father's death required Marion to quit school and go to work to help the family. Through contacts with other black musicians she slowly began to study and develop her gift. As many blacks found in the first half of the 20th century, Europe was more accepting and there she found her first sustained success and audiences who embraced her as an artist. The refusal of the DAR was one of many refusals to allow Anderson to perform with racially mixed audiences recieving equal access to her performances.

A marked trait throughout Anderson's career was her fierce sense of privacy and independence. That very trait makes an indepth biography of the singer difficult. Through a simple timeline of Anderson's life, education, travels, development as a singer and performer, family life (what little was made available for the public) and her influence on the civil rights movement and furthering education for other blacks. Raymond Arsenault has culled countless sources, magazines, newspapers of the era, recollections of others involved and interviews of some who were in the audience that historic morning. Anderson had no children of her own, but other remaining family provided a glimpse of this " powerful presence, charismatic, radiating grace and compassion." who forced a country to look at itself and to try to change what it did not like in its reflection.

I have read excepts and articles about the famous Lincoln Memorial concert by Marion Anderson, and was familiar with the singer, various "patriotic" groups which perferred frankly that she stay away, and Eleanor Roosevelt's intervention. Not till I read this book was I really informed of all the details of the controversy, and the excitement of the concert itself! Glad to have had the oppotunity to reat it!

This was an excellent story following the hardships that Marion Anderson had to endure to fullfill her dreams to sing. It really gave a good insight into her personality, life style, and her gentleness. I had the good fortune to meet her in Vancouver, I was a student attending a Sunday matinee of the Symphony and ended up sitting next to her. I was in awe, she radiated a warmth and elegance befitting her. But I was not aware at that time of what she had to work through to get there. She was at the end of her career then, and tired, but said, life was precious, told me to follow my dreams and never give up. This book really shows just how grand she was, to see someone able to bring about such fever and to make things happen without making a big noise about it. I think many of us in my age group remember that big stink about the DAR NOT letting her sing at Constitution Hall..it was the biggest disgrace of America. I highly recommend this book.

I liked the book Marian Anderson's work wasn't as important in the long run as Malcolm X. or Martian Luther King but this is a condition merely of circumstance she was an entertainer not a politician. The book makes the point that it sets out to make while the musical accomplishments of Marian Anderson were considerable her greatest accomplishment was being able to put a on Black America that White America could relate to. The Civil Rights breakthrough that occurred in the 60s owes itself to groundwork that was laid in the 30s and 40s. In her own way Anderson contributed to the struggle not unlike Nichelle Nichols did in the 1960s.

Overall-If you want the opinion of a leader of the movement Malcolm X. left a fine autobiography this is much more of an everyman (everywoman) story. Many people in these times used whatever talent they were given in hopes that America would someday be a better place just like Marian Anderson did. If you are unfamiliar with her story you are doing yourself a disservice by not reading this book.

Marion Anderson was raised quite poor in Philadelphia. She used her incredible contralto singing voice and her quite dignity to to transend the color bar in America and become a premier recitle artist in Europe and America. The D.A.R. refused to allow her to perform on Easter Sunday in 1939 at Consitutational Hall in DC. The Recital was moved to a cold blistery Lincoln Memoral, where over 75,000 attendees and NBC heard her sing America and 6 other songs. Some consider this protest the beginning of the modern Civil Rights Era as the battle moved from the courtroom to the hearts of Americans. I would recommend this book.