Marian Anderson's Performance <p class="p1">On Easter Sunday, 1939, celebrated African American opera singer <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/76">Marian Anderson</a> gave a <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/101">free concert</a> on the steps of the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/33">Lincoln Memorial</a>. She had been denied the opportunity to sing at the Daughters of the American Revolution concert hall because of her race. The first song she performed at the concert was "America (My Country 'Tis of Thee)," but she changed the words from "of thee I sing" to "to thee we sing," making it an inclusive expression of patriotism.</p> <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Marian+Anderson">Marian Anderson</a> National Archives at College Park. <a href="http://research.archives.gov/description/1729137">Listen to original</a>. 04/09/1939 <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920-1949">1920-1949</a>