Composers
Estelle D. Ricketts
1871 -About
Estelle D. Ricketts is listed in the 1900 U.S. Census Records as Stella D. Rickets, black, born in July 1871, and residing with her parents and younger brother in Darby, Pennsylvania, where her father operated a boarding stable. She is mentioned in Mrs. N.F. Mossell's book "The Work of the Afro-American Woman" (Philadelphia, 1894) as "musical composer, Miss Estelle Rickets."
Her composition Rippling Spring Waltz was published in Philadelphia in 1893. It is the earliest solo piano piece by a black woman located to date, and is in the Library of Congress. No other works by her have been found.
Related Information
The Work of the Afro-American WomanWorks by Estelle D. Ricketts
| Title | Work | Instrumentation | Level | Number of Movements | Accompanied | Size | Duration Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rippling Spring Waltz | Piano | 1 | No | Solo |