Before legendary singer Marian Andreson became a civil rights icon, she battled white supremacy in Europe as Nazi sentiment was growing. On Easter Sunday, 1939, contralto Marian Anderson stepped up to a microphone in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Inscribed on the walls of the monument behind her were the words “all men are created equal.” Barred from performing in Constitution Hall because of her race, Anderson would sing for the American people in the open air. Hailed as a voice that “comes around once in a hundred years” by maestros in Europe and widely celebrated by both white and black audiences at home, her fame hadn’t been enough to spare her from the indignities and outright violence of racism and segregation. Voice of Freedom interweaves Anderson’s rich life story with this landmark moment in history, exploring fundamental questions about talent, race, fame, democracy, and the American soul.
“Voice of Freedom isn’t just about the concert, or even about Anderson herself... Voice of Freedom is also about America in the Jim Crow era and, to an illuminating extent, about the Lincoln Memorial…a moving tribute to a remarkable figure.”
-The Wall Street Journal
-The Wall Street Journal
“An insightful documentary…presents the roiling social, racial and political currents that affected Anderson’s life and career.”
- New York Times
- New York Times