Little-Known Black History Fact: Camilla Williams

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Written by Erica Taylor, The Tom Joyner Morning Show

Camilla Williams is the first African-American woman to appear with a major U.S. opera company. She debuted at the New York City Opera in spring of 1946. Her breakout signature role was in Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" as Cio-Cio-San, a role she would play more than once and be adored for by critics.

A native of Danville, Virginia, Williams was introduced to theater at age 12. Ironically, the first production she witnessed was “Madame Butterfly.” Born in a segregated town, Williams was taken in as a private student by a Welsh voice teacher. The teacher was in town to teach music to the white female students of the all-white schools, but she taught black students privately at her home, including Williams.

Williams enrolled in Virginia State College and followed up with a teaching job in Danville. Soon she was offered a scholarship to return to her passion of music at Virginia State. In college, she studied with Marion Szekely-Freschl while working as an usher at the theater. READ ON....