She was the eldest daughter of Margaret Ann Reynolds (1819–1903) and Henry Hyland Tilgman (1811–1900), who grew up in a free black community class along with her younger sister.

The beauty of Amelia Tilghman's voice reportedly moved many figures including Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.).

It has been reported that Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne even conveyed, "That child's parents had better spend a hundred dollars on her voice now than leave her a fortune when they die.

There, she heard a choral work of William Batchelder Bradbury, Esther, the Beautiful Queen that inspired her to organize, direct, and star in a production of the piece in Washington, D.C.

The two surviving issues of the publication, both from 1889, focus on educating its readers about music history (such as the biography of Haydn), church choir repertoire, and sharing and circulating the names and work of African American composers.

It is our earnest hope that the educator's hands may be strengthened and her soul fortified in this very creditable venture," wrote the Philadelphia Tribune.