Soloman Howard in televised Marian Anderson tribute

Marian Anderson & Soloman Howard

Bass-barihunk Soloman Howard will join soprano Alyson Cambridge in a televised tribute to the trail-breaking singer Marian Anderson tonight on Centric (a BET network).  The show,  Of Thee We Sing: The Marian Anderson Story,  pays homage to the singer and civil rights icon through performances, stories and archival footage. 

Marian Anderson was the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera. She made history on Easter Sunday in 1939 when she sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The half  hour concert, which was made possible due to the intervention of Eleanor Roosevelt, made headlines across the country and was attended by more than 75,000 people. She had been denied the right to perform at two indoor venues because of her African-American heritage. It was the first time the Lincoln Memorial steps had been used as a place of peaceful protest.

The BET documentary tells the story of Marian Anderson’s indomitable spirit and explores her role in American History.

Of Thee We Sing: The Marian Anderson Story, is based on Washington Performing Arts tribute concert held at the DAR Constitution Hall on April 12, 2014. Also featured are soprano Jessye Norman, pop icon Dionne Warwick, the vocal group 3WB (brothers Marvin, Carvin, and BeBe Winans), actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, journalist Wolf Blitzer, American Idol winner Candice Glover and vocalist Annisse Murillo accompanied by a 250-voice choir.

Check your local listings for times.