H.C.R. No. 129
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, With the passing of Marian Anderson on April 8,
1-2 1993, the world has lost a woman who shattered racial barriers in
1-3 the arts with the beauty of her rich contralto voice; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson was born on February 27, 1897, in
1-5 Philadelphia, where her father delivered ice and coal and her
1-6 mother was employed as a schoolteacher; following her father's
1-7 death when she was only 12 years of age, her mother began to take
1-8 in laundry and Ms. Anderson scrubbed porch stoops to help make ends
1-9 meet; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Her singing was heard for the first time in her
1-11 church and the members of the congregation were so touched by her
1-12 voice that they collected the money needed to pay for her first
1-13 voice lessons; and
1-14 WHEREAS, After being denied admittance to a Philadelphia
1-15 school of music because of the color of her skin, a neighborhood
1-16 choral group held a benefit to augment her training, and at the age
1-17 of 23, she was chosen over 300 competing singers to perform with
1-18 the New York Philharmonic, an appearance that soon led to
1-19 fellowships and study in Europe; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Embraced by captivated audiences in Germany and
1-21 Scandinavia, she performed privately for composer Jean Sibelius and
1-22 publicly with Arturo Toscanini, who referred to her gift as the
1-23 "once in a hundred years" voice; and
1-24 WHEREAS, Signed by the formidable impressario Sol Hurok,
2-1 Ms. Anderson returned to the United States and began the American
2-2 portion of her career at New York's Town Hall in 1935; and
2-3 WHEREAS, It was in 1939 that she was thrust into the
2-4 forefront of the growing struggle for racial equality in this
2-5 country and became a powerful symbol of African Americans' dreams
2-6 and hopes; and
2-7 WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson was booked for a concert at
2-8 Constitution Hall in the nation's capital, a building owned and
2-9 operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), who did
2-10 not realize at the time that the performance was arranged that she
2-11 was African American; and
2-12 WHEREAS, When this fact was brought to the attention of the
2-13 organization, her recital date was canceled, and after hearing of
2-14 the organization's actions, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned
2-15 from the DAR in protest; and
2-16 WHEREAS, This situation prompted Secretary of the Interior
2-17 Harold Ickes to invite Ms. Anderson to sing on the steps of the
2-18 Lincoln Memorial; she accepted and gave a memorable performance
2-19 before an estimated crowd of 75,000 people on Easter Sunday 1939;
2-20 and
2-21 WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson went on to become one of America's
2-22 favorite recitalists; she was the first African American artist to
2-23 entertain at the White House with a 1936 performance for President
2-24 Franklin Roosevelt and was the first African American vocalist to
2-25 appear at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1955, paving the way for
2-26 such later luminaries as Leontyne Price, Shirley Verrett, and
2-27 Jessye Norman; and
3-1 WHEREAS, Other highlights of her exceptional career included
3-2 performances at the inaugurations of President Dwight D. Eisenhower
3-3 and President John F. Kennedy and her appointment as an alternate
3-4 delegate to the United Nations by President Eisenhower; and
3-5 WHEREAS, During her lifetime, Ms. Anderson was awarded the
3-6 Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, a Congressional Gold Medal
3-7 in 1978, and the first Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award of the
3-8 city of New York in 1984; her autobiography, My Lord, What a
3-9 Morning, also earned widespread acclaim and was named the recipient
3-10 of the Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians
3-11 and Jews; and
3-12 WHEREAS, Through the gift of her music, Marian Anderson
3-13 transcended all barriers and became part of the nation's
3-14 conscience, making it possible for others to enjoy the freedoms
3-15 that so many of us take for granted; though people throughout the
3-16 world mourn her passing, she leaves behind a lasting legacy that
3-17 will long endure in the hearts of all who have been touched by her
3-18 lifetime of achievement; now, therefore, be it
3-19 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas,
3-20 Regular Session, 1993, hereby pay tribute to the life of Marian
3-21 Anderson; and, be it further
3-22 RESOLVED, That when the Texas House of Representatives and
3-23 Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of one of the
3-24 towering musical personalities of this century, Marian Anderson.
3-25 Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of one of the
3-26 towering musical personalities of this century, Marian Anderson.
3-27 Thompson of Harris
4-1 H.C.R. No. 129
4-2 _______________________________ _______________________________
4-3 President of the Senate Speaker of the House
4-4 I certify that H.C.R. No. 129 was unanimously adopted by a
4-5 rising vote of the House on April 30, 1993.
4-6 _______________________________
4-7 Chief Clerk of the House
4-8 I certify that H.C.R. No. 129 was adopted by the Senate on
4-9 May 19, 1993.
4-10 _______________________________
4-11 Secretary of the Senate
4-12 APPROVED: _____________________
4-13 Date
4-14 _____________________
4-15 Governor