Assignment #6

For this assignment I am supposed to write about an influential African- Canadian. The person I chose to write about is Portia White an African- Canadian singer.

To start off I am going to tell you about Portia white before she was a famous singer. Portia was born in Truro, Nova Scotia in 1911. She was the daughter of Reverend William Andrew White, a descendant of American slaves from Virginia and Izie Dora White of Mill Village, Nova Scotia. Portia was the third child of eleven. She had a very beautiful contralto voice. Contralto Italian for lowest female singing voice.

Portia White first started singing at the young age of six in a choir at her fathers church. Her family organized concerts to raise money for the church. When Portia finished her teaching training she started teaching at a school in Lucasville. She still continued her musical training at the Halifax Conservatory. In 1941 Portia had run into some good luck because she met a women by the name Edith Read, who was a principle of an all girls school in Toronto. Edith organized for her first Toronto appearance at the Eaton Auditorium. She became more famous and preformed in New York. She soon became international. She preformed in Canada, United States and Latin America in the years 1945 to 1948. One of her greatest achievements was when she was able to preform for Queen Elizabeth II. Unfortunately Portia White died of cancer at the age 57. In 1977 the Nova Scotia government created a special award for artists in her memory . She has accomplished some great things during her life. She was a truly amazing African- Canadian her singing made people happy a joyful. Her confidence made her a famous singing sensation that people around the world enjoyed.

For more information on Portia White click on theses links :

Portia White link 1

Portia White link 2