Women of distinction/Chapter 51
CHAPTER LI.
MISS A. L. TILGHMAN.
This lady was born in Washington, D. C, and is a graduate from the normal department of Howard University; has taught more than ten years in the public schools of that city. As a teacher and disciplinarian she bore a high reputation. Upon one occasion she desired to exchange her school of a higher grade for one of a lower, because of the latter being nearer her home. She did so, but in this exchange she entered a school that had been noted for bad order and being extremely unruly.
When she had been there a few weeks the superintendent called one day and said with regard to the excellent condition of the school, "Miss Tilghman, how am I to account for this change?"
As a child she exhibited great talent for music, and possessed a wonderfully sweet and sympathetic voice that touched every ear that heard it. Once when Bishop Payne had heard her sing, at a memorial meeting, a song called "Departed Days," he arose and said. "That child's parents had better spend a hundred dollars on her voice now than leave her a fortune when they die."
For several years Miss Tilghman was leading soprano of the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church choir, and was one of Washington's favorite prima donnas, appearing in concerts with Madam Selika, Madam Nellie Brown Mitchell, Miss Adelaide G. Smith, and other prominent singers, although at that time she was very young. In December, 1880, she was engaged to sing in New York, and the National Era, a paper published at that time, in speaking of her singing, said this:
Miss Tilghman's appearance in New York City was the bursting forth of a musical star of the first magnitude, whose brilliancy completely captured the praise and admiration of the critics, and forced from the many talented vocalists of the great metropolis a concession of her richly earned title, "The Queen of Song."
In June, 1881, Miss Tilghman was communicated with and engaged as prima donna of the Sangerfaest, held in the Grand Opera House in lyouisville, Ky. , where she sang four consecutive nights amid great applause, and won for herself and her race laurels as a singer that can never fade. It was there that Miss Tilghman first saw the cantata of Queen Esther rendered, and she came back to Washington, gathered together the best musical talent and presented it upon the stage at Ivincoln Hall, taking the character of Queen Esther, accompanied by nearly one hundred voices, full orchestra, and beautiful stage costumes. The entire cantata was magnificently rendered, and it is said that never before had the colored people of Washington produced anything upon the stage to equal it, either in stage costumes and settings or in the perfect rendition of each part.
The presentation of the cantata entailed an immense amount of hard work upon Miss Tilghman and, coupled with the regular duties of the school-room, proved too much for her physically, and within two months she was stricken with a severe illness that prostrated her for Jive months. The following summer she was urged upon to go away as soprano leader of a company of singers, and it was during that engagement, and while scarcely more than half recovered from months of illness, she was again stricken down, and this time with a fearful accident, from which she has not fully recovered, and possibly never will. It was during the engagement with this company, while singing in Saratoga, that the terrible accident befell her which disabled her for teaching and possibly changed the whole current of her future life. Many are familiar with the story of that sad accident, and many more may learn of it for the first time.
While passing down Broadway, Saratoga, a brick fell thirty feet from the scaffolding of the Collamar building, striking Miss Tilghman on the head, felling her to the ground and fracturing her skull. From this fracture sixteen pieces of bone were removed. There are some lives into which it seems that all kinds of afflictions are thrust and still they are borne with such patience as is to many simply remarkable. And even with this our afflictions seem as nothing when compared with what Christ suffered for us. Why not be patient?
Miss Tilghman attended the Boston Conservatory of Music expressly to study the Conservatory methods of teaching piano, and that she learned the system well and is a most efficient teacher is shown by the following letter:
What was said some months ago by Dr. C. N. Dorsette of Miss Tilghman's work in Montgomery is true in every sense, and she is truly building monuments of music in the homes of the colored people. A few years ago there were no colored pianists in Montgomery and in no house where colored people lived did one hear in passing the artistic rendition of music as is now heard in almost every two or three squares. Nowhere had such a thing as a musical recital ever been heard of until Miss Tilghman went to Montgomery and parents sat and listened to their own children perform in public on the piano, and their hearts swelled with pride as they looked and listened. This young lady is doing a grand and noble work in that city. She has not been without her trials and afflictions in life, but no woman has ever fought through them more nobly and womanly than she. No woman has ever taken a truer stand for the right. She has won the highest esteem and respect of all who have met her and witnessed her work, and in years to come the young ladies who have been under her instruction and watched her womanly learning will rise up and "call her blessed."—The Southern Christian Recorder (1888).
In 1886, while teaching music in Montgomery, Ala., Miss Tilghman first began the publication of the Musical Messenger, the first and only musical journal ever published by any one of the Negro Race. That the Messenger was well edited and was a credit to the race is fully attested by the following complimentary comments:
Miss A. Iv. Tilghman is the editress of the Musical Messenger, the only paper of the kind ever published by our people. Miss Tilghman is a young lady of much talent.—New York Freeman.
The Musical Messenger is the finest journal of the kind ever issued in the South. It is full of good matter, written by some of the best people in the country.—Herald (Montgomery).
Miss A. L. Tilghman, the well-known Washington prima donna, is the editor and proprietor of the Musical Messenger.—Washington Critic.
We welcome to our exchange list the IMusical Messenger, by Miss A. L. Tilghman. Another woman joins the profession. May it be hers to enjoy much prosperity.—Virginia Lancet.
Miss Tilghman publishes the Musical Messenger, the first paper devoted to music ever published by the race.—People's Advocate.
Miss Tilghman, editing the Musical Messenger, and formerly a teacher in the public schools of Washington, possesses musical talent of no mean order.—New Orleans Pelican.
The Musical Messenger is the name of a monthly journal published by Miss A. L. Tilghman. She is a graduate of Howard University, and was a successful teacher at Washington for several years.—A. M. E. Church.
The colored race have several newspapers of first-class merit; but, musical as they are, none of them, until now, have started a musical journal. The new venture is the Musical Messenger, a monthly of considerable promise.—American Machinist (N. Y.).
We are in receipt of the Musical Messenger, a monthly published in Washington, D. C, by Miss A. L. Tilghman, and devoted to "the highest moral, social and intellectual interest of the people." That the race stands sadly in need of such a journal should be freely admitted. It is our earnest hope that the editor's hands may be strengthened and her soul fortified in this very creditable venture.—Tribune (Philadelphia, Pa.).
Miss Tilghman was correspondent for Our Women and Children, published by the lamented William J. Simmonds, who was a faithful and energetic worker for the race. As a writer, as well as a singer, Miss Tilghman stands in the front rank of our young Afro-American women. She has composed several very fine poems. In closing this sketch we feel that it is fitting to give our readers the poem which she composed in honor of Queen Victorians seventieth birthday and which was pub- lished in the Musical Messenger:
DEDICATED TO HER GRACIOUS MAJESTY, QUEEN VICTORIA, OF ENGLAND.
Reign on! most glorious Queen!
And let thy sceptre sway.
Till Ireland's people are redeemed,
Their darkness turned to day.
Reign on! till right shall rule.
And wrong shall buried be.
Reign on! most generous, noble soul!
The world needs such as thee.
Reign on! ne'er let thy power
Be ever rent in twain.
Thy life so noble, good and pure,
Be tarnished with one stain.
Reign on! for God doth guide
Thy sovereigns at His will.
And He who stills the raging tide
Will bid thy foes be still.
Reign on! unequaled Queen,
Till man to man is free.
Till not one shackle shall be seen.
And nowhere slaves shall be.
Reign on! reign ever on!
Not in this world alone,
But may thy pure and holy life
Be echoed at God's throne.
Reign on! till Heaven is gained,
And thou with the redeemed
Shall there receive the victor's crown,
Most noble, glorious Queen!