Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1970)
PORTLAND/OBSERVER O ct. 1, 1970 GREAT BLACK WOMEN B e st Wishes to you and much success on your endeavor. , .. Mr/Mrs. William Spencer This Week—Marion Anderson Marlon Anderson born In 1908 o f parents who had form erly lived In V irg inia. Marlon's father died when she was a very young child. She was the oldest of three g irls . With no father In the home Its quite understandable that ihe fam ily knew hardship. Marlon spent much tim e caring for her two younger s iste rs. It was a happy home she lived In though poor. There was always compa ny around. Church members on Sunday, neighbors and friends the rest of the week. Music was a favorite form of fun around the Anderson home, even when the g irls were very young. The three of them would spend much tim e singing. They all had rich, fu ll voices, howev er Marlon's voice was the best. When Marlon was eight years old the M rs. Anderson had saved enough money to buy a piano. Marlon did not dodge her h o u s e h o ld chores even though she spent much tim e practicing and singing. Marlon sang In the children’s choir, however her voice was so Impressive that she was soon Invite«! to sing In the adult chorus. As choirs go,there was some rum blings. Some refused to yield their places to youth and others made threatening rem arks, but Alexander Robinson, an under standing man with a great com bination of s k ill, and a deep ap preciation of natural voices was able to keep everyone reason ably contented. At the same time he was able to give Marlon every opportunity possible to bring out her natural talent. He n u r t u r e d the young, tender beautiful voice as one would nu- ture a beautiful rose. Marlon's voice d e v e lo p e d beautifully under his direction. Concerts were given for her by many church a u xiliaries. She soon became famous among the Black Church social c ircle s. All * * * w ÎÂ W * This is your page Ix?t us h e a r from you w ith y o u r h in ts. Also an y suggestions as to w hat you w ant on y o u r page. W rite y o u r le tte rs to th e: W o m en ’s Eflit or P o rtla n d O bserver 714*2 N .E. A lIxTta P o rtla n d , O regon 97211 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Blacks buying fine jewelry Black people are showing a greater Interest In fine jew elry than ever before. This Is ac cording to a nationwide consum er survey commissioned by U n io n Carbide Corporation, a major producer of synthetic gems. Black people are saying that economically, th e y are better able to afford fine Jewelry items that they want and may have wanted all along. la Prat’s BEAUTIRAMA 2719 N.E. 7th Avenue Portland 97212 Phone 28 8 -3 2 6 2 this while she was yet in school. Suppers, cantatas, plays o r pag eants, .Marlon Anderson was the headliner. By the tim e she finished High School Marlon was famous In and around P h ila d e l p h i a . The Philadelphia C h o r a l Society a congregated group of singers sent her to a well known white c o n t r a l t o , Agnes Reifsnyder. Here Marion studied and learned m a n y fundamentals of good singing. Erom here she went to study with Bogheti a celebrated teacher who, when he heard Marlon wept in appreciation. Bogheti entered her in a con test In 1925 with three hundred singers. Marion was a winner. Erom this as winner she was to be a guest sollst with the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra In I>ewisohn Stadium. As a result of this she was started In her way to fame. In 1930 she received a Rosenwald fellowship and sailed fo r Europe where she studied for the next four years. The place chosen for her debut, her great test, was the P a r is Opera House. Every available seat and every foot of standing space was taken. She enraptured the audience with her singing. They thundered their approval upon her comple tion of her repertoire which had been sung In English, Russian, Erench and German. A ll of this,’ however, lost its e lf In tumultuous acclaim as Marlon sang Negro Spirituals. Her mother seated In the c e n t e r of the opera house blinked back the tears as she realized her joy...she felt too, that Marion's father, dead these many years, was also happy. In 1935 on December 30th Marlon made her American debut. This acclamation was followed, later by an unfortunate experience. At the height of her career. In 1939 she was not a l lowed to sing In Convention Hall, owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. This Incident In the Nation's Capital brought forth the nation’s lead- 1 n g lady to champion against s u c h prejudice and bigotry. M rs. Eranklln D. Roosevelt had a platform before the monument to President Lincoln. Thousands of people gathered In eloquent respect to hear the voice of Marlon Anderson as she sang Negro sp iritu a ls. Miss Anderson has given up wards to sixty concerts a year. She has toured Europe, Asia and South America as well as the United States with her music. She extended her activities In 1955 when she fu lfille d a life long dream, that of singing the role of U lrica In Vedi'a A MASKED BALL. This great contralto made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, thus in 1955 she became the firs t woman of the Black Race to be come a member of the company at the famous old Opera House. Many honors have been placed upon Miss Anderson, among them the honors received when the U.S. States Department sent her on a tour of the far east In the fall in 1957. In this posi tion of ambassadress of good w ill Miss A n d e r s o n made f r i e n d s in remote corners, where otherwise this country had been regarded with suspi cion. On this tour she traveled forty-tltousand m iles to twelve nations. We give tribute to a great lady, who has entered, and passed through her hall of fame, leaving as indelible mark, one t h a t w ill be remembered for generations to come. M is s Anderson has been called "the w orld’s greatest co n tra lto ," in fact, Toscanini, after having heard her sing, once said to her, "a voice like yours is heard once in a hundred years." PAUL JANITORIAL SERVICE F L O O R C L E A N IN G 6t J A N IT O R S E R V IC E IN S U R E D A N D B O N D E D Maurice’s Barber Shop 3982 N.E. Union - 284-961 1 r Satisfied Customers are our best Ads Jim’s Pie Piper Shoppe and Restaurant •Break fa it Served All Day •Hot Lunches Sandwiches Specializing in •Sweet Potato Pies •Ice Cream •Pastries “for one or for The Entire Family’' "It's The Pie Piper” Ph. 284-8866 5246 N.E. Union So Much More Service So Much Less Cost Wedding date set Sunday M r. and M rs. Warren Robin- son, Sr. long tim e residents of Portland announce the m arriage of th e ir son Warren L. (Robbie) Robinson, J r. to Miss Paulette Hinton, Sunday October 4, 1970 at 3 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church, 5828 N.E. 8th Avenue. The wedding ceremony w ill have a few invite«! guests of the fa m i- ly with the public being invited to the reception at 4:30 p.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church. W a r r e n Robinson, J r. is working on his m aster's degree at University of Oregon. His fa ther Warren Robinson, Sr. is a Medical Research Assistant for the Oregon Regional Prim ate 6 2 3 2 N E 13 th A V E N U E PO R TLA N D OREGON 2 82 0 4 6 8 ( r Center. Robbie's mother is em ployed as a resource aide at p Portland Residential Man Power c Center. The Cox Funeral Home 2736 N.E. Rodney Avenue Phone 281-4891 Miss Hinton is a Junior at t< tending the U niversity of Oregon n majoring in Business Education. A A vivacious 5’4 " , 19 year old w who plans to continue her edu c cation. - W e do the kindest things in the kindest w ay Congratulations and continued success WE TAKE THE M r/M rs. Stanley Cage EARACHE. OUT OF REPAIR C o n g ra tu la tio n s on v o u r first issue. H ope you co n tin u ed success. Woods Fix-It and Repair Keith and Molly Burns Ph. 284-3093 COLLINS AND ERWIN PIANO COMPANY Best wishes for great success PAIGE'S PHARMACY from John Collins, Tim Stafford and Staff 2701 N.E. 7th Ave. Portland, Oregon 9 72 12 at 1307 Lloyd Center Plaza Lane North PRESCRIPTIONS PHONE 2 8 4 -4 6 5 6 2 8 1 -0 0 6 7 New and Used Sales and Rentals Dorigan employment service •Story and Clark Pianos •Pianola Player Pianos •Player Rolls —Organ and Piano Lessons PHONE. 228-9541 M ary Dorigan MANAGER SUITE 406 510 S.W. FIFTH AVENUE PORTLAND, OREGON 9 7 2 0 4 V Pianos-Organs all types and makes _____________