Eva Jessye (January 20, 1895 - February 21, 1992) was a pioneering African American choral conductor and music educator. She founded the Eva Jessye Choir, one of the first professional African American choral groups in America. As the first African American woman to earn a degree in music education from the University of Michigan in 1921, she broke racial and gender barriers in classical music. Her artistic career spanned over half a century, significantly influencing the development of African American music.
