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S36E2: Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands | Clip

Marian Anderson overcame discrimination with Danbury farm

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Anderson bought her beloved farm in Danbury, CT, with her husband, Orpheus Fisher. Despite her reverence and Fisher being able to pass as white, the couple still encountered racism while attempting to buy the farm. The couple persevered and expanded their purchase to 100 acres of land they later dubbed Marianna Farms.

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- The country still was very segregated.

- [Man] There were no African Americans living there.

You know, they tried to purchase 50 acres and they had to send Orpheus who looked white.

- To cut the deal to sell the property was probably a normal thing for them to do.

But then they learned that he's married to Marian Anderson and the deal now is off.

The sellers were saying that if we sell you the property then the property around that would have no real value.

- [Man] They expanded the purchase to a hundred acres.

They thought that would scare them off.

(gentle music) But they did, they did buy the hundred acres and they had a real farm there.

- [Marian] The horses that we have here, when they see you coming they'll come up to the gate and make a nice little sound to let you know that they're glad you're here.

- She had calves, pigs, not, you know those cute little pigs. Hogs, those big, big hogs.

They had Kerry Blue Terriers, beautiful, beautiful dogs.

Chickens, they had some chickens.

So it was quite a place.

And I remember going there when I was a kid and just being totally fascinated by all of that.

(gentle music)

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