(MUSIC--OPERA.) JONES, MATILDA SISSIERETTA JOYNER. Elaborate blouse, belonging to Black Patti, given by her to singer Mabel Diggs. Metallic lace-like claret colored cloth with gold lame cloth with tiny rhinestones sewn into the borders; quite worn and soiled. sold with all faults. Np, circa 1900
an extremely rare artifact, having been worn by the noted african american diva, sisieretta jones, the "black patti." Jones (1868-1933) was born in Virginia to Jeremiah Malachai Joyner, an AME minister and his wife Henrietta Beale. When the family moved to Rhode Island the young Sissieretta received formal training at the Providence Academy of Music. She continued her voice training at the New England Conservatory. Her vocal range and abilities earned her the nick-name of "Black Patti," an allusion to the famous Italian opera star Adalina Patti. In 1892 she sang before an audience of 75,000 at Madison Square Garden. Crossing all sorts of color lines, Black Patti performed at Carnegie Hall and other venues hitherto unavailable to black performers. Provenance: This blouse was given to Mabel Diggs, a cabaret and musical performer of the nineteen teens and twenties ("the Child Wonder"), who in turn donated it to the National Black American Historical Museum in Atlanta (now defunct). Acquired from the director/founder Thomas Frederick Moore, with a letter of provenance from him.
