Ginette Depreist donates Marion Anderson Lincoln Memorial outfit to new museum

If you take a look at the online edition of the New York Times, you’ll find a wonderful walkthrough of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The multimedia feature also tells the stories of several of the many Americans who donated items of historic value to be included in the museum’s collection.

One of these remarkable Americans featured in the article is Portland’s own Ginette Depreist, whose late husband James Depreist was the Music Director of the Oregon Symphony from 1980 to 2003, and nephew of the acclaimed singer Marion Anderson. Ginette donated the jacket and skirt worn by Anderson at her historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday of 1939, after she was prohibited from performing at hall of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Here is a screen capture of the section of the Times article about this gift:

What an amazing gift and remembrance. I know that next time I’m in the nation’s capital, I’ll be making a visit to this incredible museum part of my stay.