Abbie J. Wright facts for kids
Abbie J. Wright (born in 1862) was an amazing African American opera singer. She was known for her beautiful voice and for teaching music.
Biography
Abbie J. Wright was born in Stony Brook, New York, in 1862. When she was young, in 1870, she lived with Jacob and Amelia Wright, who might have been her grandparents. They worked as "white washers," which meant they painted walls white. By 1880, Abbie was listed as a "music teacher," showing her early talent.
In 1883, Abbie married Ernest Lyon. They had three children named Maud Amelia, Annie Belle, and Ernest Harrison Monroe. Ernest Lyon was born in Belize and later became a U.S. citizen. He was a very important person! In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt chose him to be the U.S. Minister and Consul General to Liberia, a country in Africa. He served in this role until 1910.
Abbie's Music Career
Abbie was a talented performer. On October 12, 1896, she sang at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City. She performed a piece called “The Knight” as part of a big event. Important people like New York City Mayor William Lafayette Strong and Booker T. Washington were also there.
By 1902, Abbie was sharing her musical knowledge by teaching singing at the Y.W.C.A. in Baltimore.
Around 1907, Abbie married another musician, John A. Crowell, who was a baritone singer. After this, she often performed as “Madame Abbie W. Crowell (formerly Madam Lyon).” They lived in Essex, New Jersey, where Abbie continued to teach music to private students.
In 1912, Abbie joined two other women, Mrs. Julia Mason Layton and Mrs. H.B. Harris, to form a group called “The Flying Squadron.” They sang and spoke to support the Progressive Party, a political group. Mrs. Layton was also a writer and activist who worked for women's rights and the Republican League.
In May 1913, a newspaper called Cleveland Gazette mentioned Abbie's arrival at a hotel in Cape May, New Jersey. She was listed as “Miss Abbie Wright Crowell of Philadelphia.”
Images for kids
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Annie Belle Clark School
