Sigma Alpha Iota

8 Summer 2024 • sai-national.org SAIs In The News V erizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia was rededicated as Marian Anderson Hall in honor of the legendary contralto, civil rights icon, and Philadelphian. e first major concert venue in the world to honor the late performer and trailblazer, Marian Anderson Hall will be a permanent monument to its namesake's artistry and achievements, a reflection of the inclusive future she helped to engender, and an active testament to the intersection of music, art, and positive social impact. e Hall, the home of e Philadelphia Orchestra, was officially rededicated on June 8, 2024, and celebrated during the Great Stages Gala and Concert that evening, featuring Nézet-Séguin and e Philadelphia Orchestra. GRAMMY®, Emmy®, and Golden Globe® award–winning and Academy Award®–nominated artist, actor, and producer Queen Latifah hosted the event, with performers including soprano Angel Blue, actress and singer Audra McDonald, soprano Latonia Moore, and jazz pianist Marcus Roberts. e dedication of Marian Anderson Hall was named in her honor by a visionary $25 million philanthropic gi from Richard Worley and Leslie Miller. e musical selections of the concert were all connected to Marian Anderson, including My Country, 'Tis of ee and a special orchestration of Florence Price's arrangement of the spiritual My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord, both sung by Anderson during the concert on April 9, 1939, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial aer she was denied the opportunity to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, because of her race. Marian Anderson, an Honorary Member of Sigma Alpha Iota, was born in Philadelphia on February 27, 1897. Marian Anderson was an acclaimed contralto who performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals, with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues Historic Rededication: Marian Anderson Hall Members of the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter attended the rededication Members of the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter attended the rededication event. From left to right: Debbie Krauss, Martha Frampton, Rheta Smith, event. From left to right: Debbie Krauss, Martha Frampton, Rheta Smith, Olivia Morton, and Abbey Atwater. Olivia Morton, and Abbey Atwater. Marian Anderson Marian Anderson receives the Spingarn Medal receives the Spingarn Medal of the NAACP from First Lady of the NAACP from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1939. Eleanor Roosevelt in 1939.

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