HerStory Eartha Mary Magdalene White Born Nov. 8, 1876, in
Jacksonville, Fla., she was an African-American vocalist,
educator, administrator and humanitarian. She was raised by
Clara White and graduated from Stanton School and moved to New
York City where she attended Madame Thurber’s National
Conservancy of Music. She joined the Oriental American Opera
Company, the country’s first black opera company. Eartha toured
as a lyric soprano in American, Europe and Asia with the company
but returned frequently for Jacksonville for visits. On one
visit she met and fell in love with James Jordan, a railway
worker, and their wedding was set for June 1896, but while she
was still working on the tour in May she received news of his
death. She ended her singing career and returned to Florida
where she taught at Bayard for a number of years. In 1901 she
began to buy real estate at low prices and selling at a profit.
By 1905 she had saved enough for a dry goods store and several
other businesses. She reinvested her consider