Marian Anderson: My Lord, What a Morning

Questions for Further Study

• 1.: Why was the Lincoln Memorial chosen as the site of Anderson’s concert after she was refused access to Constitution Hall?
• 2.: What role did First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt play in the debate surrounding Anderson’s concert?
• 3.: How would you describe Anderson’s tone and attitude with regard to the controversy surrounding her concert? How do you think you would have reacted had you been in her position?
• 4.: What national and international events played a role in the growing civil rights movement of the 1930s? Why were they important?
• 5.: Discuss the following proposition: Marian Anderson’s concert was more important for its symbolism than for its music.