Patti J. Malone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patti J. Malone
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Patti Malone Monument, Slave Cemetery, Athens, Alabama
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| Background information | |
| Born | 1855 Athens, Alabama, United States |
| Died | January 20, 1897 Omaha, Nebraska, United States |
| Genres | Spiritual |
| Instruments | mezzo-soprano |
| Years active | 1877–1897 |
| Associated acts | Fisk Jubilee Singers |
Patti J. Malone (born 1858 in Athens, Alabama) was a famous singer. She was best known for her amazing mezzo-soprano voice.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Patti Malone was born into slavery in Alabama. This was before the American Civil War. She was later sold to a different plantation in Texas. Life was very hard for enslaved people. Patti's mother faced many challenges from their owners.
After the Civil War ended, Patti had a chance to go to school. She enrolled in the Trinity School in Athens. This school was started for children who had been enslaved. Going to Trinity School was not easy for Patti. Some local people did not want African-Americans to send their children there. They even refused to hire parents who did.
As a child, Patti also had to work for her former owner's family. This was a condition for her mother to keep her job. Despite these difficulties, Patti was very determined to learn. She faced harassment from some white children in the community. It is said that she was so eager to learn, she would attend school even when very sick. Sometimes she had to lie down during lessons.
Joining the Fisk Jubilee Singers
After finishing her studies at Trinity, Patti moved to Nashville, Tennessee. There, she enrolled at Fisk University. This university was also started by the American Missionary Association. At Fisk, Patti's life changed forever.
Fisk University was new and struggling at the time. It did not even have its own permanent buildings. To raise money, the university chose nine students to form a singing group. This group would travel and perform to collect funds for the school. This first effort was a big success, raising over $100,000.
Touring the World
After their first tour, the university stopped the group. But the singers decided to reorganize on their own. They started a second world tour. Patti Malone had been encouraged to join Fisk by Miss Wells, the principal at Trinity School. Miss Wells was also the first chaperone for the Jubilee Singers.
Patti was chosen to join the group in 1877. She filled a spot left open by another singer who became ill. She traveled to Germany to meet the group. During her time with the Jubilee Singers, Patti performed all over the world. She sang in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. She even gave a special performance for German Emperor Wilhelm I.
A Lasting Legacy
Patti Malone passed away on January 20, 1897, in Omaha, Nebraska. She died from an illness that was not specified. Her death brought sadness and tributes from around the world.
A newspaper called The Cleveland Gazette wrote about her. They said, "It is safe to say that no woman of her race ever sang in so many different countries of the world as Miss Patti J. Malone." Even newspapers in New Zealand reported her death. The Jubilee Singers had toured there ten years earlier. Patti Malone left a lasting mark as a talented singer who shared her music globally.
