Topics in Chronicling America - Sissieretta Jones: African-American Soprano

I can never remember the time when I did not sing," soprano Sissieretta Jones said in the July 4, 1896 issue of the San Francisco Call. Mme Jones and her touring group, "The Troubadours," are feted by immense audiences around the world, often inviting the tribute of tears to those who hear her magnetic voice. Read more about it!

The information and sample article links below provide access to a sampling of articles from historic newspapers that can be found in the Chronicling America: American Historic Newspapers digital collection (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/). Use the Suggested Search Terms and Dates to explore this topic further in Chronicling America.

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• March, 1889. The Tennessee Jubilee Singers with Madam Matilda S. Jones return from a tour of the West Indies and South America.
• February 24, 1892. Madame Sissieretta Jones sings for US President Harrison.
• August 24, 1893 Black Patti appears at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
• September, 1893 Black Patti appears at the Pittsburgh Exposition
• July 4, 1896. Interview with Sissieretta Jones includes a brief description of her recent European tour.
• April, 1904. Madame Sissieretta Jones appears in Washington, DC.
• March, 1907. The Black Patti Troubadours appear at the Seattle Theatre in Seattle, Washington.
• April, 1909. Black Patti sings in the musical comedy “Blackville Strollers,” San Francisco, California.
• February, 1911. The Black Patti Musical Company presents a show “A Trip to Africa” in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
• March, 1911. The Black Patti Musical Company appears at the Howard Theatre, Washington, DC.

Suggested Search Strategies:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Madame Sissieretta Jones, Madame Jones, Black Patti, troubadours, musical comedy
• Using the names of locations will help find descriptions of appearances by Madame Jones in those places
• It is important to use a specific date range if looking for articles for a particular event in order to narrow your results; the singing career of Sissieretta Jones extended from about 1887 to 1915

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "Chatt and Chaff," The Washington Bee (Washington, DC), March 2, 1889, Image 1.
• "Pittsburg Letter," The Stark County Democrat (Canton, OH), September 7, 1983, Page 5, Image 5.
• "Is A Singer By Nature," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), July 4, 1896, Page 5, Image 5.
• "Black Patti Troubadours," The Saint Paul Globe (Saint Paul, MN), October 29, 1899, Page 26, Image 26.
• "Black Patti At The Empire In May," The Colored American (Washington, DC), April 2, 1904, Page 3, Image 3.
• "The New Black Patti Troubadours," The Seattle Republican (Seattle, WA), March 8, 1907, Image 3.
• "Sissiereta Jones Appeals To Heart," The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA), April 5, 1909, Page 5, Image 5.
• "Black Patti Company," The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, SC), February 7, 1911, Page 4, Image 4.
• "Black Patti Coming Next Week," The Washington Bee (Washington, DC), March 11, 1911, Image 5.