Up Next
![Elsa Sjunneson: DeafBlind author [Audio Description + ASL]](https://kcet.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/243e2b3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/896x504!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.pbs.org%2Fvideo-assets%2FRxaa3o7-asset-mezzanine-16x9-JNz2pke.jpg)
Back to Show
American Masters
How racism affected Marian Anderson's vocal classification
Marian Anderson was billed as a contralto, the lowest possible female voice, even though she could also sing the high notes of a soprano. "I believed that Marian Anderson was not classified as a soprano is because that would mean that she would be the love interest of a white counterpart, which was not accepted at all at the time," said opera singer Denyce Graves.
Support Provided By
Season
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:23:57
Explore the story of writer Julia Alvarez, who blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:23:35
Explore the story of filmmaker Blake Edwards, known for his comedies like the "Pink Panther" series.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:40:39
Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:43:31
Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Unlock with PBS Passport
53:03
Discover the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works.
54:31
El artista José Clemente Orozco (1883-1945) encabezó el movimiento muralista en México.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:22:29
Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:22:12
Trace the life and legacy of labor activist Cesar Chavez through music and the arts.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:22:45
Follow the 50-year career of First Amendment lawyer and legal expert Floyd Abrams.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:33:44
Experience the political and personal journey of California governor Jerry Brown.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:29:31
Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:45:01
See the world through the eyes of Nam June Paik, the father of video art.