Eloise C. Uggams
A young African-American woman wearing her hair in a chignon, and wearing a white loose-fitting blouse or dress with a v-neck
Eloise C. Uggams, from a 1918 publication
BornDecember 20, 1896
Florida or South Carolina, US
DiedJuly 14, 1972
New York, US
OccupationSinger
Known forMember of Fisk Jubilee Singers, Broadway appearances
RelativesLeslie Uggams (niece)

Eloise Colcolough Uggams (December 20, 1896 – July 14, 1972) was an American soprano singer. She was a member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and appeared in Broadway musicals.

Early life

Uggams was born in Florida or South Carolina (sources vary on the location), the daughter of Coyden Harold Uggams and Mamie Hughes Uggams. Her father was a Presbyterian minister.[1] She attended Fisk University.[2] She gave her senior recital in 1919.[3]

Career

Uggams sang and toured with the Fisk Jubilee Quartet with Henrietta Myers in 1918 and 1919.[2][4][5] Broadway appearances by Uggams included roles in Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1928 (1928-1929, 1934),[6][7] and Rhapsody in Black (1931),[8] The Pirate (1942-1943), Run, Little Chillun (1943), and Porgy and Bess (1943, 1944, and 1953).[9] She was also in the European touring company of Porgy and Bess, with Leontyne Price, William Warfield, Cab Calloway, and a young Maya Angelou.[10] She made recordings of spirituals with Elkins-Payne Jubilee Singers in 1924,[11] and with the Everyman Opera of New York in 1953.[12]

Uggams was also a dressmaker, and worked for Oleg Cassini, including on the wedding gown worn by actress Gene Tierney in 1941.[13] During World War II, she toured in the United States with the USO, and after the war, she toured as a soloist with the Eva Jessye Choir.[14]

Personal life

Uggams helped her niece, actress and singer Leslie Uggams,[9] attend Professional Children's School in New York. "We never would have been able to afford the school if it weren't for Aunt Eloise," recalled the younger Uggams.[15] Eloise Uggams died in 1972, aged 75 years, in New York.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Loomis, Charlie (1971-08-09). "Noted Singer Visits Jarvis". Tyler Morning Telegraph. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "Significance of Jubilee Day". Fisk University News. 9: 11, 25. November 1918 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ "Miss Uggams' Song Recital". The Fisk University News. 10: 17. May 1920 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "Fisk Folk Enliven Armstrong Rally". The Fisk University News. 9: 15. May 1919 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ "Fisk University Jubilee Singers Continue to Give Satisfaction". The Fisk University News. 9: 46. June 1919 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ "Blackbirds of 1928 (advertisement)". The New York Age. 1928-05-19. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Dietz, Dan (2018-03-29). The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 116, 302–303. ISBN 978-1-5381-0277-0.
  8. ↑ Werner, Ludlow W. (1931-05-16). "'Rhapsody in Black' Opens on Broadway; Ethel Waters Stars". The New York Age. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Celebrating Black History Month: Leslie Uggams Honors Her Aunt Eloise Uggams, Ethel Waters & More Broadway Role Models". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  10. ↑ Angelou, Maya (2009). Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas. Random House. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-8129-8031-8.
  11. ↑ "Uggams, Eloise". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  12. ↑ "Eloise Uggams". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  13. ↑ "Some of the Stars of the Broadway Hit, 'Porgy and Bess'". The Times Dispatch. 1953-08-30. p. 90. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Jessye Choir Wins Applause". The Wilkes-Barre Record. 1949-03-22. p. 15. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Guideposts Classics: Leslie Uggams on Lending a Helping Hand". Guideposts. April 2004. Archived from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  16. ↑ "Eloise Uggams". Daily News. 1972-07-16. p. 118. Retrieved 2021-02-16 – via Newspapers.com.
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