author
E. Azalia (Emma Azalia) Hackley
1867–1922
A trailblazing concert soprano and teacher, she used music as a way to build racial pride and open doors for Black performers and students. Her work reached far beyond the stage, linking art, education, and activism in the early 20th century.
1 Audiobook
The Colored Girl Beautiful
by E. Azalia (Emma Azalia) Hackley
About the author
Born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in 1867, Emma Azalia Hackley later made Detroit her home and became known as E. Azalia Hackley. She built a remarkable career as a concert soprano, teacher, newspaper editor, and political activist, and she is especially remembered for encouraging African Americans to study, perform, and value their own musical traditions.
Hackley believed music could be a force for dignity and progress. She promoted music education for Black students, directed choirs, and organized folk song festivals in churches and schools. Her work helped celebrate spirituals and other Black musical forms at a time when she felt they deserved much wider respect.
Her legacy continued after her death in 1922. In Detroit, the E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts was established at the Detroit Public Library, reflecting the lasting importance of her influence on music, culture, and Black artistic history.