Diary for 1951 (II)

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Itinerary

Leave New York April 15th at 1pm (landing in Chicago) Arv San Francisco April 15th at 9:45 pm Leave San Francisco April 16th at 12 noon Arv Honolulu April 16th at 7:45 pm Concert on April 18th and 21st Leave Honolulu April 25th at 11 pm Arv Tokyo April 27th at 2pm Press Conference Tokyo April 28th Reception at N.H. K. Tokyo April 29th Broadcast [Emperor ??? ??] Tokyo April 30th Free Tokyo May 1st 1. Concert Tokyo Tokyo May 2nd Free Tokyo May 3rd Free Tokyo May 4th 2. Concert Tokyo Osaka May 5th from Tokyo--Oksaka Osaka May 6th 1. Concert Osaka Osaka May 7th Free Osaka May 8th 2. Concert Osaka Kyoto May 9th Free (to Kyoto sightseeing) Hiroshima May 10th Kyoto to Hiroshima Hiroshima May 11th Concert Hiroshima Nara May 12th To Nara Free Nara May 13th Free Nagoya May 14th Nara to Nagoya Nagoya May 15th 1. Concert Nagoya Nagoya May 16th Free Nagoya May 17th 2. Concert Nagoya afternoon Tokyo May 18th Nagoya to Tokyo Tokyo May 19th Free Tokyo May 20th Free Tokyo May 21st Free Tokyo May 22nd 3. Concert Orchestra Tokyo Tokyo May 23rd Free Tokyo May 24th Free Tokyo May 25th 4. Concert Tokyo

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[Paramaribo?], November 27, 53

Dear Mrs. Anderson,

Having overheard the utterances of the colored girls of Surinam and speaking for them I feel obliged to let you know what your visit meant to us. When we had the certainty that you had accepted to visit our country the great news was spread from one end of the country to the other. By all means of communication, from the most primitive to the most modern. the people was told that one of us, who had attained the highest distinction in the use of the international language of music, was to cross the ocean to bring us the greatest happiness we can imagine. It was beaten on the ancestral drums, written in newspapers hawked by radio that Marion Anderson would be among us. We, Mrs. Anderson, are still suffering from the sorrow for inheritance of slavery, a condition one could only survive by our inborn sense for music. But although 90 years have passed since the abolition of slavery, we are still feeling the effect of bondage, especially as this period was followed by the years of colonialism. Now we are striving to rise out of all this and

we are in great need of encouragement. We are filled with great admiration for your perform ance. Perhaps we will know in later years, that you gave us the happiest moments of our lives. Those that have been so fortunate as to have seen you and heard your voice, will in days to come tell their children and grandchildren: I saw her with my own eyes and I heard with my own ears and this will be their pride. Mrs. Anderson we thank God for having blessed you with this great gift and the opportunities you could only have in the U.S.A. But we know that all this is not sufficient to reach your height and that your success is most of all the result of industry, energy and perseverance. There are among us many young boys and girls, who are trying to reach a higher goal. They have to endure many hardships and impediments and there are moments when the obstacles seem insurmountable. In these moments of despondency in hours of despair they will think of you, for you are their example, their inspiration, their ideal. You have given us not only joy, but also hope for the future. We thank you, we admire you and, most of all Mrs. Marian Anderson, we are proud of you! May God give you all the happiness you deserve! Yours truly [A I Favery?]

[Dr. A I Favery?] [?] 135 Paramaribo