"Marian:  The Philadelphia Story"

Private tour of the

National Marian Anderson Museum

762 South Martin Street, Philadelphia  19146

Tuesday, April 29 at 11 am

WC members:  $15 & WC non-member guests:  $25

Best known for her 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, opera singer and civil rights pioneer Marian Anderson won acclaim in her lifetime. President Johnson awarded her the American Medal of Freedom in 1963; Congress awarded her a gold medal in 1977; the U.S. Treasury Department coined a half-ounce gold commemorative medal with her likeness in 1980; and in 1986, President Reagan presented her with the National Medal of Arts. The acclaim continued after Ms. Anderson’s death at age 98 in 1996, when 2,000 admirers attended her memorial service at Carnegie Hall, and last year, when the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall was renamed in her honor.

The National Marian Anderson Museum, damaged by flooding in 2020, reopened to visitors on March 1st. Museum CEO Ms. Jillian Pirtle, a renowned vocalist in her own right, will lead a tour through the quaint home that Marian Anderson purchased in 1924, right across the street from the Union Baptist Church where she sang as a child. View the museum’s marvelous ensemble of memorabilia, including gowns, books, music, paintings, rare photos, and even films from the great contralto’s life.

Please note that cancellations are accepted through 4/22/25.  In the event that you need to cancel prior to that date, a credit will be applied to your WC account for future use.