Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (February 27, 1897- April 8, 1993) age 96 yrs

Philadelphia native Marian Anderson was one of the greatest classically trained singers of the 20th century. She was also an important figure in the struggle of black Americans for racial equality. Marian Anderson was deemed one of the finest contraltos of her time. She became the first African American to sing with the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1955.