Einstein also became a supporter of racial tolerance. When Marian Anderson, the black contralto, came to Princeton for a concert in 1937, the Nassau Inn refused her a room. So Einstein invited her to stay at his house on Mercer Street, in what was a deeply personal as well as a publicly symbolic gesture. Two years later, when she was barred from performing in Washington's Constitution Hall, she gave what became a historic free concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Whenever she returned to Princeton, she stayed with Einstein, her last visit coming just two months before he died.63 One
Einstein was an advocate for racial equality and demonstrated this when concert singer Marian Anderson, who was African American, was denied a room at the Nassau Inn during her 1937 visit to Princeton. Einstein offered her a place to stay at his home, highlighting his personal commitment to racial tolerance while also making a public statement against discrimination.
Anderson faced further racial barriers when she was unable to perform at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Instead, she held a landmark free concert at the Lincoln Memorial. Throughout her life, she maintained a close relationship with Einstein, often staying at his home during her visits to Princeton, with her last visit occurring just two months prior to his passing.
