True or False: Marian Anderson was the first black person to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. True! On January 7, 1955 Marian Anderson had her big night. The audience applauded for five minutes before she could start her song. -She became famous in Europe before she was well known in the United States. -She sang before 75,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday, 1939. -She opened many opportunities for other African American singers.