Marian Anderson Marian Anderson was an African American singer, who became famous for fighting racial inequality when she gave a <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/101">concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial</a>. In April 1939, the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow Anderson to sing to an integrated audience at their Constitution Hall. With help from First Lady <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/330">Eleanor Roosevelt</a>, the concert was moved to the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/33">Lincoln Memorial</a>. Anderson <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/373">stood on the steps and performed</a> before 75,000 people gathered on the Mall. Millions more listened to her on the radio. Her concert pointed to the value of using the National Mall as a place to bring public attention to political and social issues. <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> Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. <a href="http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/hec2009013149/">View original photograph</a>. <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>