MARIAN ANDERSON TIMELINE

February 27, 1897 - Marian Anderson born into a working class family in South Philadelphia

1910 - Her father John dies. She continued to sing with the church choir.

1915-1918 - Started taking voice lessons with soprano Mary Saunders Patterson. Soon after, she started singing in public concerts. Between 1916-1918, she studied under contralto Agnes Reifsnyder and in 1917, she started giving solo performances. During the summer of 1919, she studied with Oscar Sanger at the Chicago Conservatory of Music.

1921 - Graduated from South Philadelphia High School for Girls

1922 - She continued her studies privately with world-famous voice teacher Giuseppe Boghetti, who can be credited with refining her technical skills and expanding her repertoire to include classical songs and arias.

1925 - Entered a New York Philharmonic voice competition with over 300 competitors where she won first prize. Her debut with the Philharmonic on August 26, 1925 was a critical success.

1928 - Carnegie Hall debut, which furthered her career.

Early 1930's - Concert tour of Europe, where her reputation was established. She performed at Town Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York.

1935 - Marian became a top concert singer after performing at Town Hall in Manhattan. In the late 1930's she sang for the Roosevelts at the White House.

1939 - Easter Sunday Concert at the Lincoln Memorial, attended by 75,000 people; Millions more listened to the radio broadcast of this event.

1949 - She was decorated by the Finnish government

1952 - Awarded the Swedish "Litteris et Artibus" medal by King Gustav.

1955 - Made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City as Ulrica in Verdi's "Un Ballo In Maschera" (A Masked Ball). She was the first African American to perform with the company.

1957 - Marian made a 12-nation, 35,000-mile tour sponsored by the Department of State, the American National Theater and Academy, and appeared on Edward R. Murrow's Television series "See It Now."

1958 - Her role as a goodwill ambassador for the United States was formalized in September when she was made a delegate to the United Nations.

1961 - Sang at President Kennedy's inauguration.

1963 - Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from John F. Kennedy

1965 - Retired from singing, after an extended farewell world tour (from 1964-1965)

1977 - Won the United Nations Peace Prize. Gala concert at Carnegie Hall marking her 75th* birthday; received New York City's Handel Medallion and a congressional resolution of congratulations from First Lady Rosalyn Carter.

1978 - Honored for lifetime achievement by the Kennedy Center

1984 - Received the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award.

1986 - Husband Orpheus Fisher dies; Awarded National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts

1987 - Received honorary doctorate from the University of Connecticut.

1991 - Received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

April 8, 1993 - Marian Anderson passed away at the age of 96 in Portland, Oregon.