Marian Anderson Lincoln Memorial

At 5:00 p.m., Marian Anderson sang in front of a crowd of 75,000: “My Country tis of Thee, Sweet Land of Liberty of thee We Sing.” Anderson’s slight change in the lyric, “I” to “We” perfectly captured the significance of the moment, echoing the collective sense of responsibility shared by all on that important day.

Photographs by Robert S. Scurlock, Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History