Lillian Evanti

Lillian Evanti (August 12, 1890 – December 6, 1967) was an American soprano, composer, and civil rights advocate who broke racial barriers in classical music. Excluded from opportunities in the racially segregated American opera scene, Evanti was the first African American to perform with a major European opera company, earning acclaim for her performances across France, Italy, and South America singing works by Delibes, Verdi, and Handel. Evanti was a prolific recitalist, an esteemed composer, and a trailblazer for Black artists in classical music, advocating for racial equality in the arts, performing for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House, and marching alongside civil rights leaders in the 1963 March on Washington.