“The first impression on an audience is a visual one, and one should wear what is right for one’s style.” — Marian Anderson
Famed Black contralto Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1897. In the early 1940s, after having conquered the European music scene, she returned to the United States and began to look for a place to call home. In 1943, Anderson and her husband, architect Orpheus “King” Fisher, bought a farm on the west side of Danbury, Connecticut, and named it Marianna Farms after Marian and her mother, Anna.
Marian Anderson made Danbury her home for nearly 50 years, and was integral to the music and cultural landscape of the community. After her death in 1993, her practice studio, designed by her architect husband Orpheus, was donated to the Danbury Museum. The Studio was moved across town to its present site and opened to the public in 2005.
In the early 2000s, a small collection of Ms. Anderson’s performance gowns that had not sold at auction in 1993 were donated to the Danbury Museum. We are incredibly proud to open our 2025 exhibit, First Impressions: What Marian Wore to the public this week. The exhibit features 18 pieces from across Anderson’s storied career as well as the hat she wore to sing the national anthem at the 1957 and 1961 presidential inaugurations. There is a special opening celebration in the museum’s Huntington Hall from 4pm-6pm on Wednesday, April 9, the 86th anniversary of Marian Anderson’s famous Lincoln Memorial Concert. All are welcome.
The costumes (museum language for clothing!) represent department store purchases, important early Black designers, gowns worn during her diplomatic travels representing the United States, and beloved items from her wardrobe. The important gowns in the exhibit have been matched with photographs of Marian Anderson wearing these ensembles in concert.
“Being able to showcase these beautiful pieces of fashion and cultural history is such an honor. We look forward to many visitors seeing in person the artistry and style of each of these gowns and dresses, and understanding how they represent important milestones in the life, legacy, and Civil Rights activism of Marian Anderson,” said Assistant Director and Collections Manager, Michele Lee Amundsen.
This special exhibition will be open Wednesday through Saturday, from 12 noon to 4pm, through Saturday, December 20, 2025 and is FREE to all.
Brigid Guertin, Executive Director, Danbury Museum
Michele Lee Amundsen, Assistant Director/Collections Manager, Danbury Museum
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