Civil Rights Off the Shoulder

Poets are taught never to explain a poem before delivering it. This is one of those times I'm breaking that rule - mainly because I don't think the poem very good. But partly it's because the story behind the dress is so much more interesting.

In 1939, a classical singer was invited to perform at Constitution Hall on Easter. But oh, oops, wait a minute, in the days preceding the celebration of the resurrection of a man who'd been outcast in his time, somebody remembered that Marian Anderson was Black. This somebody was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. That fine organization was made up of women frustrated by their exclusion from men's organizations formed to celebrate America's freedom and independence.

It was the Daughters of the American Revolution who denied Marian Anderson the right to perform at Constitution Hall. I'm just not the kind of writer who can express bitter irony in the minimal language of poetry. Are you kidding me? We're outsiders, Jesus was an outsider, and we're gonna exclude a woman because of her race? I fumbled trying to make that work in a poem.

Eleanor Roosevelt quit the DAR in disgust. (Yay, first ladies who rock!) In turn, a performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was organized, and went down in history as one of the many events raising awareness of racial discrimination in the good old U.S. of A.

Annie Leibovitz's photograph is special in a couple of ways. First, it's not just one picture. Because the gown is kept under glass in the Smithsonian, Leibovitz made a patchwork portrait, piecing together six photographs to make one stunning piece of art.

Second, it was so so cold on Easter Sunday 1939 that in video of the event, you can't see the dress under the celebrated singer's coat.

Which makes me especially glad Annie Leibovitz called it to my attention.

Marian’s Dress

It’s creamy eggshell off-the-shoulder

to harmonize with her dark skin

Denied at Constitution Hall

she sings at Lincoln Memorial Easter 1939

Her dress the texture of foil mixed with silk

You’d almost miss the accent

in one of the folds that runs from

her waist down her leg to the ground

A splash of color the same as that which flowed