Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. holds significant historical significance in Black history. The hall was built in 1929 and was operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), an organization that promoted patriotism and historic preservation. However, Constitution Hall became a site of controversy in the early 20th century due to its racially discriminatory policies.

In 1939, renowned African American opera singer Marian Anderson was denied permission to perform at Constitution Hall by the DAR because of her race. This sparked widespread outrage and led to a watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement. In response, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who was a member of the DAR, resigned in protest. With the support of the Roosevelt administration and the NAACP, Marian Anderson went on to perform a historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday, 1939, in front of a crowd of 75,000 people and a radio audience of millions.

The incident at Constitution Hall highlighted the segregation and discrimination faced by African Americans at the time and galvanized support for desegregation efforts. It paved the way for greater awareness of racial inequality and the push for civil rights reforms in the United States.