Dr. Sonya G. Baker, soprano, will present a guest artist lecture and recital titled "For Thee We Sing: The Historical Implications of Marian Anderson’s 1939 Easter Concert." The event is free.

Baker currently serves as an American Council on Education Fellow at Rhodes. Noted for performances of American music, Baker regularly appears with the American Spiritual Ensemble, and her Marian Anderson lecture/recital has been presented nationwide.

In 1939, African-American classical singer Marian Anderson was denied use of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR in protest, and with support of the Roosevelt administration and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a concert was organized on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial. Anderson gave the concert on April 9, 1939, Easter Day. The concert drew a crowd of more than 75,000 and was broadcast across the country.

Baker in her multimedia presentation will discuss the impact of Anderson’s famous concert on America touching on issues of racism, patriotism, and the role of the arts in society. She also will sing repertoire from the 1939 concert including "My Country Tis of Thee," Schubert's "Ave Maria" and three spirituals.