Directions: Read the selections. Then answer each question.
Marian Anderson was born in February 1897. She started singing when she was a child in Philadelphia. People listened to her performances, and Marian became a successful singer. Marian sang in cities across the country. She even sang overseas. Around the
world, people enjoyed her special voice.
In 1939, Marian was supposed to sing in Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This was an important place for singers. But the people at Constitution Hall wouldn’t let Marian sing because she was African American. At that time in history, many places in the United States divided people by the color of their skin. People who were African Americans were treated poorly. They were unfairly banned from some of the places white people were allowed to go.
Many people were angry that Marian wasn’t allowed to sing at
Constitution Hall. One group worked together to set up a different place in Washington, D.C., for Marian to sing. They put together a free event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Tens of thousands of people came. Millions more listened on the radio. The event was a huge success despite the unfair way Marian was treated.