U.S. Postal Service Debuts Anderson Stamp

This image of Marian Anderson graces the newewst edition of the Black
Heritage stamp series. http://tinyurl.com/6gxqt


U.S. Postal Service Debuts Anderson Stamp
By Stacy Anderson


Jan. 28, 2005 -- It was more than a coincidence that this week's
unveiling of the new Marian Anderson Black Heritage stamp took place
at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

It is the precise location where, in 1939, the Daughters of the
American Revolution banned the world-renowned contralto from singing,
because of a Whites-only policy at its hall. Outraged by the decision,
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt invited Anderson to perform at the
Lincoln Memorial, where more than 75,000 people showed up to cheer her
on.

Anderson became the 28th African American to be honored in the Postal
Service's Black Heritage series.

"Our stamps are determined by the stamp adviser committee, but we get
thousands of suggestions from the public," said Deborah Yackley, a
spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service. "This is the 50th
anniversary of Marian Anderson's debut at the Metropolitan Opera, so
this year is appropriate. No one can deny that she is a famous Black
American and deserving of a stamp."

The stamp depicts an oil painting by Albert Slark of Ajax, Ontario,
Canada, which was based on a black-and-white photograph believed to
have been taken by Moise Benkow in Stockholm around 1934.

The ceremony included performances by mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and
students from Washington, D.C.'s Duke Ellington School of the
Performing Arts. Inspirational words were conveyed by Allan Keiler,
author of the biography "Marian Anderson: A Singer's Journey."
Anderson's nephew, James DePriest, who is head of the Conducting
Department at the Julliard School, also spoke at the ceremony.

Anderson was born in Philadelphia in 1897. She started her musical
career as a young girl after joining her family's church choir and
went on to study abroad and perform in Europe. Her first breakout
performance was on Dec. 30, 1935, where she was lauded as "one of the
great singers of our time."

Anderson, who was one of the first Blacks to perform at the White
House, is probably best known for her controversial performance at the
Lincoln Memorial and was the first Black vocalist to perform at New
York's Metropolitan Opera.

Throughout Anderson's career, she received many high honors, which
included becoming a goodwill ambassador to Asia and an appointment as
a delegate to the 13th session of the United Nations. She also
received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, New York City's Handel
Medallion, the United Nations Peace Prize, the Eleanor Roosevelt Human
Rights Award, the NAACP's Springarn Medal for outstanding achievements
and a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Marian Anderson died from congestive heart failure on April 8, 1993 in
Portland, Oregon.

Blair (TC)