Question

Why would Marian Anderson's singing of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 bring tears to the narrator's eyes?

Answer 1

because the song made a political statement about the country belonging to everyone--including African-Americans

Answer 2

In 1939, more than 75,000 people heard the words of the amazing contralto Marian Anderson on a free open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

Anderson was scheduled to sing at Washington’s Constitution Hall but was denied the right to use the hall because of her race.

In protest she sang in the Lincoln Memorial, this served as a political statement to create awareness of the racial discrimination in society at the time. Also taking in cosiderattion Lincolns role in the fight for equality for all people, the performance and the lyrics of the song, this was an extremely emotional moment for many.