She earned a diploma from Hartshorn Memorial College in 1909 and later learned the violin while attending Douglass High School, from where she graduated in 1915.
[1] Hughes began her professional career in New York City in 1920, appearing in several Broadway shows featuring Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson, and Roland Hayes.
During the 1920s, she appeared on radio and stage, working on the B.F. Keith circuit in her hometown of Huntington and at the Regal Theater in Chicago.
After a substantial career as a soprano, Hughes began composing and arranging on the Hammond organ, creating a live-performance compilation titled "An Informal Hour of Music."
After retiring in 1955, Hughes was brought back to the spotlight for a round of performances connected with the Universal Jazz Coalition festival in 1980.