OETA is thrilled to provide a slate of programming and digital content to mark Black History Month as part of our continued commitment to showcasing important stories, sourced from the people and communities that make up our nation. Lauding the victories and recognizing cultural contributions and sacrifices, these programs will unearth remarkable stories of African Americans across generations, from the famous to the lesser-known.
Do you know who Marian Anderson is?
The voice of Marian Anderson is undeniably powerful. Her quiet genius and breathtaking voice set the stage for Black performers in classical music, and a louder voice for civil rights. From American Masters, Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands will explore the life, career, art and legacy of the singer of classical music and spirituals. Affectionately known to audiences as “The Lady from Philadelphia” and “The People’s Princess,” Anderson’s career was propelled by her talent, but also steered by the limits imposed by racism and segregation.
This gifted pioneer, whose strength was rooted in family and community, overcame humiliation, prejudice and financial hardship to become a voice for justice, an internationally renowned master of her craft and the first African American to sing a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in 1955.
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. In that moment, Anderson—despite being a fiercely private person—transformed into a symbol for the nascent civil rights movement, even inspiring a 10-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr., who listened on the radio.
With unprecedented access to the Marian Anderson Estate, the documentarywill draw on rare archival footage, audio recordings, and Anderson’s extensive personal correspondence to family and friends, including Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. DuBois, Duke Ellington, Shirley Chisholm, and Langston Hughes.
Balancing her public triumph with her personal struggles and resilience, Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands will chart the impact of one of the world’s greatest singers, whose career provides a window into a time of seismic cultural change.
Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Tuesday, February 8 at 8 pm
Owned: A Tale of Two Americas
Monday, February 7 at 9 pm
Is the "American Dream" of homeownership a false promise? Postwar housing policy created the world’s largest middle class, but it set two divergent paths – one of perceived wealth and the other of systematically defunded, segregated communities.
The American Diplomat
Tuesday, February 15 at 8 pm
Discover how three Black diplomats broke racial barriers at the U.S. State Department during the Cold War. Asked to represent the best of American ideals abroad while facing discrimination at home, they left a lasting impact on the Foreign Service.
FRONTLINE: American Reckoning
Tuesday, February 15 at 9 pm
An unsolved 1960s murder reveals an untold story of the civil rights movement and Black resistance. With Retro Report, the film draws on rarely seen footage filmed more than 50 years ago in Natchez, MS, and follows one family's search for justice.
Fannie Lou Hamer's America
Tuesday, February 22 at 8 pm
Explore and celebrate the life of a fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist Fannie Lou Hamer and the injustices in America that made her work essential.
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me
Friday, February 25 at 9 pm
The first major film documentary to examine Sammy Davis, Jr.'s vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th century America.
