Singing Towards the Future

Born into a family with ten siblings in Nova Scotia, Portia White had a dream: to sing on stage. But there were few opera roles for black singers in the 1920s. With the support of her family and community, the talented contralto crossed the color barrier and climbed onto to stages in Canada, the United States, and Central and South America in the late 1930s and early 1940s. This illustrated biography chronicles her life and career. Photos & illustrations.