William Franklin (born 1906, date of death unknown) was a baritone opera singer[1] who was considered to be a pioneering African American in the Chicago music scene.

[citation needed] He has been described as the best baritone of his day, with some performances that "will long be remembered for [their] intensity of musical feeling.

From 1925 to 1935, Franklin played with some of the great jazz names of the time, such as Clarence Jones, Dave Peyton, Stanley "Fess" Williams and Earl "Fatha" Hines.

He made his operatic debut as Amonastro in a 1937 production of Verdi's Aida at the Chicago Civic Opera, with La Julia Rhea.

He often played with Mary Caldwell Dawson's National Negro Opera Company, and in the operetta performances of Gilbert and Sullivan works.