Matilda "Sissieretta" Joyner Jones
Opera singer , 1869 - 1933
Matilda Joyner Jones, known as Sissieretta Jones, was an African-American soprano and one of the greatest opera singers of all time. She sometimes was called “The Black Patti” in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. Jones’ repertoire included grand opera, light opera, and popular music. She began singing at an early age in her father’s Pond Street Baptist Church. In the late 1880s, Jones was accepted at the New England Conservatory of Music. In 1887, she performed at Boston’s Music Hall before an audience of 5,000. Jones toured the world. Composers wrote songs for her.
In February 1892, Jones performed at the White House for President Benjamin Harrison. She eventually sang for four consecutive presidents — Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt. Jones became the first African-American to sing at the Music Hall in New York (renamed Carnegie Hall the following year) in June of 1892. Due to racism, many of the places she performed in would not allow her family and friends to attend. So Jones started her own company performing her own skits, music, dancing and comedy. She toured the country for almost 20 years at white and black venues. Jones retired from performing in 1915. She paved the way for other African-American opera singers. In 1946, Camilla Williams, became the first African-American woman to appear with a major U.S. opera company, the New York City Opera —nine years before Marion Anderson became the first African-American singer to appear at New York's more prestigious Metropolitan Opera.
