Was Billie Holiday the first African American jazz singer?

Join Biography.com in a look at legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday's life and career, and the alcoholism and heroin addiction that got the best of Lady Day. ... Holiday broke new ground with Shaw, becoming one of the first female African American vocalists to work with a white orchestra. read more

Jazz vocalist Billie Holiday was born in 1915 in Philadelphia. Considered one of the best jazz vocalists of all time, Holiday had a thriving career as a jazz singer for many years before she lost her battle with substance abuse. read more

Jazz is an art form created mainly by African Americans in the early twentieth century that blended elements from African music with traditions of the West. True New Orleans jazz depended on simultaneous improvisations by the players, which created a polyphonic texture. read more