Friday, February 26, 2021 on PBS
Film Explores the Life and Legacy of Singer Marian Anderson and Her Triumphant 1939 Concert at the Lincoln Memorial
American Experience presents
Voice of Freedom, a new documentary about singer Marian Anderson, whose talent broke down barriers around the world. Hailed as a voice that “comes around once in 100 years” and widely celebrated by both white and Black audiences at home, her fame wasn’t enough to insulate her from the indignities and trauma of racism and segregation. On Easter Sunday, 1939, she stepped up to a microphone in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Inscribed on the walls of the monument behind her were the words “all men are created equal.” Barred from performing in Constitution Hall because of her race, Anderson would sing for the American people in the open air. Narrated by Renée Elise Goldsberry (
American Experience Voice of FreedomPremieres Monday, February 15, 2021 on PBSFilm Explores the Life and Legacy of Singer Marian Anderson and Her Triumphant 1939 Concert at the Lincoln Memorial
A hospital trust where 42 babies and 13 mothers died in 20 years had a culture of wrongly blaming parents, the former senior midwife leading an inquiry has told MPs today.
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was condemned in an interim report by Donna Ockenden last week, highlighting a range of failures including not properly listening to parents.
Ms Ockenden told the Commons Health and Social Care Committee on Tuesday that there was a culture of blaming mothers and fathers, but also that the trust failed to get to the bottom of why babies died.
She said the trust had its own mechanism for dealing with complaints, which did not follow national guidance, and was only ever engaged when legal action was threatened or a complaint was made.