Biography:

Black concert artist and teacher, who became the first American singer to win critical acclaim for her performances both in the U.S. and in Europe. Name variations: The Black Swan. Born Elizabeth Taylor around 1819 in Natchez, Mississippi; died on March 31, 1876, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; daughter of slaves; her father's surname was Taylor and her mother's name was given as Anna Greenfield; taught herself to play guitar, harp and piano; studied voice briefly in Philadelphia and in England; never married; no children.