WASHINGTON, DC – A PBS “American Experience” documentary, “Voice of Freedom,” will debut on February 15, 2021, to celebrate the inspiring and influential life of operatic contralto Marian Anderson. It will also explore her relationship with the Daughters of the American Revolution.

“In January, we marked the anniversary of Marian Anderson’s first performance in Constitution Hall in 1943, when the DAR invited her to sing for a war relief concert,” said Denise Doring VanBuren, DAR President General. Anderson performed in DAR Constitution Hall four more times, even launching her farewell concert tour there in October 1964.

“Many people know, of course, that our organization also regrettably refused her the opportunity to sing in DAR Constitution Hall in 1939 due to her race. Unfortunately, sometimes that is all that people remember about us, when there is, in fact, so much more to the story and to our organization,” said VanBuren, who appears in the documentary and hopes that it will better illuminate her National Society’s relationship with Anderson.

“Marian Anderson’s concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 became a watershed moment for the country and for the DAR. It also set the stage for our evolution into an organization that better embodies the highest ideals of our nation,” said VanBuren. “The DAR of today is a vibrant, relevant and tolerant organization of women united by Revolutionary War ancestors who founded our nation on the concept that all men (and women!) are created equal. Our evolving relationship with Marian Anderson is part of our long journey to better live that commitment to equality and justice for all.”

Producers of the “Voice of Freedom” documentary were given complete access to the documents found exclusively within the holdings of the DAR Archives for use in creating their film. Included in their research were new materials only recently accessioned into the Society’s archival holdings. In 2016, the family of Sarah Robert, who served as the President General of the DAR from 1938-1941, donated to the National Society DAR her papers, including many never-before-seen primary-source documents concerning the events connected to Marian Anderson. As a result, DAR committed to organizing the Sarah Robert papers and other items in the DAR Archives related to Miss Anderson in order to create a comprehensive educational resource available for historians’ research. These papers provide more context and nuance to the historical account of what happened in 1939 and the years that followed.

“Marian Anderson was an inspirational advocate for civil rights and a role model for so many who followed. Our story as an organization will be forever intertwined with that legacy. It is obvious to us now that it was wrong for DAR to deny the use of Constitution Hall to Marian Anderson in 1939 because of her race. Yet those events challenged our Society and our nation to live up to its highest ideals, and so they ultimately shaped us into better citizens and human beings,” said VanBuren, who today leads nearly 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 DAR chapters worldwide.

“As an organization committed to historic preservation, education and patriotism, the DAR recognizes that examining history helps us to better understand our nation’s long struggle to provide equality, justice and humanity for all Americans. The United States was built on the promise of equality for all, and DAR shares an obligation to help our nation fulfill that founding promise,” said VanBuren. “The DAR of today encourages and celebrates a diverse membership, and we embrace the opportunity to welcome and support members of color.”

As a women’s lineage organization dedicated to volunteer service, DAR offers resources and assistance to women of all backgrounds in researching their family history, including free online genealogical resources, member volunteers available to help with minority lineage research and an expanding database of people of color who contributed to the Revolutionary War. The DAR recently launched a five-year initiative called the E Pluribus Unum Educational Initiative, which will seek to increase research and awareness of Revolutionary War patriots of color as the 250^th anniversary of the United States approaches.

To learn more about the vast array of women and their millions of hours of volunteerism through today’s DAR, visit www.dar.org/TodaysDAR.

Resources
DAR Resource Page About Marian Anderson

Photo
Marian Anderson performing at DAR Constitution Hall, January 7, 1943. (Marie Hansen/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

About the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
As one of the largest and most active women’s service organizations in the world, DAR has nearly 190,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and several foreign countries. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership.  DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. For additional information about DAR and its mission, visit www.dar.org. 

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