When Marian Sang... -- a Wonderful Book About a Remarkable American!

Beginning in 1926, Americans began to officially recognize the important contributions of African Americans in our culture--first during what was called “Negro History Week” and later, as what we celebrate now each February, “Black History Month.” The reasons for choosing the month of February are interesting. According to an article at the infoplease.com/Family Education Network site, the choice was made “because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly impacted the American black population” – Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Other significant events also occurred in February, including the birth of civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois, the passage of the 15th Amendment (allowing blacks the right to vote), and on February 1, 1960, the first sit-in protest at a segregated Woolworth’s in Greensboro, N.C. There are more dates worth noting, of course, but one in particular concerns this review: Marian Anderson was also born in the month of February.

Who Was Marian Anderson?

If you’re like me, Marian Anderson’s name is an unfamiliar one. The beautifully illustrated picture book When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson is a wonderful introduction to this remarkable woman.

Born in Philadelphia on February 27, 1897, Marian Anderson loved to sing. She happily shared her astonishing gift of song both at home and in church. When it became apparent that her talents should be nurtured further, the color of her skin was an insurmountable barrier and kept her from attending American music schools. But armed with a firm, unwavering Christian faith and a determination to persevere in spite of the discrimination she faced, Marian became a world-renown star, a contralto performing arias, hymns and spirituals to standing ovations all over Europe:

”In Austria, the world-famous conductor Arturo Toscanini announced that what he had heard, one was privileged to hear only once in a hundred years…"

Yet, sadly, when she returned to her home country, Marian was again spurned because of her race. She was often asked to perform for segregated audiences, or, if integrated, the venue’s best seats were reserved for “whites only.” In 1939, when she was denied access to Washington’s Constitution Hall, Marian instead sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at an Easter Sunday morning concert attended by a crowd of more than 75,000 people of all races. In 1955, she made musical history when she became the first African-American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera—the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

Marian Anderson was a courageous woman who overcame social injustice with dignity and grace—a worthy role model for all of us.

The Book—Beautifully Told, Beautifully Illustrated

For When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, children’s author Pam Munoz Ryan once again teamed up with artist Brian Selznick. Their first picture book collaboration was another trip back in time: Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride -- about a friendship between aviator Amelia Earhart and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

It’s hard to separate the simple text from the powerful illustrations in this picture book biography. Munoz expertly weaves song lyrics with the story of Marian’s life, and Selznick’s art captures both the drama and poignancy perfectly with sepia-toned pictures that make the pages look somewhat like they came from a beloved family scrapbook. The most moving of these is a wordless, two-page spread showing the Easter concert from the perspective of the mixed-race audience.

The book’s “encore” includes personal notes from both author and illustrator, describing their mutual desire to introduce Marian Anderson to young audiences of today. An “ovation” section cites historical resources and more information, websites, etc., to check into to learn more about Marian Anderson's life. Best of all, a CD is included so readers can actually hear Marian Anderson, who died in 1993, sing six songs -- Were You There?; He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands; Go Down, Moses; Deep River; Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, and Un Ballo in Maschera: Re dell’abisso, affrettati. What an incredible opportunity--a lovely touch and educational bonus from publisher, Scholastic.

My Recommendation

This is an extraordinary book about an extraordinary woman! For pure enjoyment, study of Black History Month, music appreciation, or an historical lesson about pre-Civil Rights America – for all of these and more, this book is worth reading and sharing with a child you love.

Details…

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson was recently named as a Robert F. Sibert Informational Award Honor book. According to the American Library Association website, “Information books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret documentable factual material for children.”

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN: 0439269679
Format: Hardcover, 40pages
Pub. Date: September 2002
Age recommendation: As a read-aloud, for ages 6 and up and for independent readers ages 8 and up.

Other books by Munoz include: Riding Freedom--which was also illustrated by Selznick--the true story of Charlotte "Charley" Darkey Parkhurst, a woman who lived her life disguised as a man so she could be a stagecoach driver, plus: Esperanza Rising; The Flag We Love; One Hundred Is A Family; Hello Ocean; Mud Is Cake and The Crayon Counting Book.

To take a look at the book's striking cover, you can go to: http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0439269679.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Happy reading!

Update -- Jan. 29th: I read this to a class of 20 third graders today. For a "read-aloud" the text is on the lengthy side, but these kids stayed with me from start to finish. They said they liked the story -- and they loved the pictures!