Words by Lanie Anderson
\n<\/strong>Imagery provided by University of Pennsylvania Special Collections<\/strong><\/p>\n

We. The word can have powerful implications depending on its context, and so it did on April 9, 1939, when contralto Marian Anderson sang her own rendition of \u201cMy Country, \u2018Tis of Thee\u201d on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.<\/p>\n

When Anderson arrived at the third line of the familiar song, she belted \u201cto thee we<\/i> sing\u201d rather than the original lyric, \u201cof thee I<\/i> sing.\u201d The audience\u2014a sea of tens of thousands that stretched from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument\u2014might have considered the lyrics a misstep in her performance, but Anderson\u2019s alteration was purposeful.<\/p>\n

To read more about Marian Anderson, subscribe to CAKE&WHISKEY magazine or purchase the single issue\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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