Marian Anderson is a Womanist- Alana Edmond

Marian Anderson is a Womanist
By Alana Edmond

I have never heard of Marian Anderson prior to reading the NPR Article, “Lift Every Voice and Sing  Marian Anderson, Florence B. Price And The Sound Of Black Sisterhood” This question poses the pertinent question, “When will we listen to Black Voices.” The world will never be ready to listen to Black women, so we must make ourselves heard. This is exactly what Marian Anderson did through concert performance.  Anderson proved herself a womanist by making it her goal to uplift Black women and the black community through her powerful voice. For instance, when performing in front of 75,000, predominantly white people, Anderson used her platform to elevate another Black woman artist by singing alongside Florence Price the song, song “My soul is anchored by the lord.” This demonstrated the compassion she had for other Black women. Also, she realized the importance of making Black women’s voices heard, no matter what the form, because we do exist. Moreover, Anderson was fearless in performing negro spirituals despite the ridicule she knew she would receive. To her, the showcase of the black experience was greater than any backlash she would receive. Contemporary, Beyonce reminds me a lot of Marian Anderson. Neither one of them are extremely vocal about social issues in the typical sense, however they use their art and talent to elevate other black artists and everyday people, as well as using their songs and visuals  to be representative of Black struggles. Both of these artists demonstrate a dedication to Black women which I really appreciate. 

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