Camilla Williams
Yesterday in the New York Times there was an obituary for Danville, Virginia native Camilla Williams. The obituary took up three full columns of the newspaper, probably more than for any other Danvillian. I checked to see if Nancy Langhorne(Lady Astor) or Irene Langhorne(the Gibson Girl) had received the same attention but did not have the patience to go through the archives at length. Also looked at Enos "Country" Slaughter(from the county) and his obit was no comparison.
Why would I comment on the length of an obituary. Simply because, while Camilla Williams was certainly well known among segments of my hometown community, she was by no means widely known.
She was the daughter of a maid and a chauffer, grew up in Danville, went to Virgina State College for Negroes, and in 1941 was a third grade teacher back in Danville. Somehow by 1946 she was the lead performer in the New York City Opera's performance of Madame Butterfly. It was an amazing transition that was lauded by New York critics, ten years before her more famous contemporary, Marian Anderson, made to the stages of New York. The year after Miss Williams breakthrough, Jackie Robinson integrated major league baseball.
What a story.
Why would I comment on the length of an obituary. Simply because, while Camilla Williams was certainly well known among segments of my hometown community, she was by no means widely known.
She was the daughter of a maid and a chauffer, grew up in Danville, went to Virgina State College for Negroes, and in 1941 was a third grade teacher back in Danville. Somehow by 1946 she was the lead performer in the New York City Opera's performance of Madame Butterfly. It was an amazing transition that was lauded by New York critics, ten years before her more famous contemporary, Marian Anderson, made to the stages of New York. The year after Miss Williams breakthrough, Jackie Robinson integrated major league baseball.
What a story.
posted by John Borden at 12:17 PM
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