Who was the first black female opera singer to appear at Carnegie Hall?

The first black female opera singer in 1892 to appear at Carnegie Hall was Sissieretta Jones. She was born in January 1868 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She lived for 65 years and died in June 1933 in Providence, Rhode Island. At birth, she was named Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones. She was an American soprano and was sometimes called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. Jones' repertoire included grand opera, light opera and popular music. Jones was one of the best sopranos of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Jones had to shape her musical career within limited professional options. Because of societal restrictions, she had to settle for headlining the Black Patti Troubadours, predominately a minstrel show.

The challenges Jones faced were aptly described in the 'New York Times' on September 2, 2018. "Jones struggled as an artist, fighting daily for dignity and artistic survival in a world that viewed her as a freakish imitation of a white ideal. The public lauded her with left-handed praise: the “dusky diva,” the “chocolate-hued” songstress, the “Black Patti”. Critics noted her beauty, but never without qualifications: “The Black Patti is of pure Negro blood”, one reporter said. The comparisons with Patti were ludicrous; there was no comparing the two. Patti was the idol of millions, demanded at least $4,000 nightly, and retired to her opulent Welsh castle. Jones rarely earned $300 for an appearance and retired to a life of poverty."