William Franklin (born 1906 in Memphis, Tennessee) was an opera singer and was considered a pioneer African American among the Chicago music scene. William first started his musical career playing trombone and singing in jazz groups after finishing high school. An auto accident ended his trombone playing so he decided to improve his voice. He enrolled at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He debuted aside La Julia Rhea in a 1937 production of Verdi's Aida at the Chicago Civic Opera. This performance was in celebration of the annual meeting of Pittsburgh National Association of Negro Musicians as organized by Mary Cardwell Dawson. Franklin often appeared in other productions of the company as well as opertta performances of Gilbert and Sullivan works.
References
- The Music of Black Americans: A History. Eileen Southern. W. W. Norton & Company; 3rd edition. ISBN 0-393-97141-4
