American Masters, Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands

Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 9 PM

Repeats Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 2 AM

Airs on Fusion on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 PM; Sunday, Feb. 13, at 5 PM; and Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 8 PM

Discover an international singer who captivated royalty in Europe and defied the conscience of 1939 America. Contralto Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was best known for her performance at the legendary Freedom Concert on April 9, 1939. Anderson, in a bold protest against racial intolerance, sang before a diverse crowd on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after being denied use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. 

With unprecedented access to the Marian Anderson Estate, this documentary draws on rare archival footage and audio recordings plus Anderson’s extensive personal correspondence to family and friends to reveal the woman behind the icon.