Portia White

In his unique brand of spoken-word African poetry, the incomparable George Elliott Clarke explores a personal subject: his great-aunt Portia White, operatic contralto. The result is a stirring, epic poem vibrating with energy and music that spans WhiteΓÇÖs birth in 1911, a coming of age amidst the backdrop of two World Wars, and her life-long love affair with musicΓÇöfrom singing in to directing the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church choir to her bel canto tutlege at the Halifax Conservatory of Music to her final, commanding performance before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1964. ''Portia White'' is a stunning testament to the first African Canadian to become an international star. Features vibrant illustrations by contemporary artist Lara Martina.