The Fisk Jubilee Singers
The Jubilee Singers were the foundation upon which Fisk University survived, and without their establishment, world-class music, and drive to revolutionize the perception of black performances, there will probably not be a Fisk University, a top 10 H.B.C.U, today.
Current Fisk Jubilee Singers In front of a painting of the founding members.
In 1871, five years after Fisk University’s establishment, the school began experiencing financial crisis which placed the future of the institution at a major risk. The school’s music director and treasurer Geroge L. White, a White Northern missionary, who was dedicated to music, and abolishing the stereotypes accompanied with white supremacy brought together a choir of nine students. The choir consisted of five black women (Ella Sheppard, a direct descendant of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the united states, Maggie Porter, Minnie Tate, and Eliza Walker, who were the youngest members (Tate being 14, and Eliza 13) of the jubilee singers and Jennie Jackson, who went on to form her sextet, The Jennie Jackson Concert) and four black men (Isaac Dickerson, Ben Holmes, Greene Evans, Thomas Rutling). I searched The History Makers Digital Archive to learn more about the founding members of the Jubilee Singers in the interviews.
I found an interview with Delano O’banion, in his interview he recalls the start of the Jubilee singers, how at first they were resistant to the idea of singing the spirituals because it reminded them of their past as slaves, he also mentioned how they toured Europe and sang for Queen Victoria, who called Nashville the ‘music city’ because of the singers and mentioned Maggie Porter as one of the founding members.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers toured the United States and Europe to raise money to resuscitate the dying institution. This was the first time a lot of white people had seen actual black people perform asides from the Minstrels that were a caricature and mockery of black people. It was revolutionary for black performances. Together they performed their ancestors' sacred art of the ‘Negro Spirituals’ and popularized that genre of music. With the profits generated by the Fisk Jubilee singers, the school was able to buy the land which it sits upon today and save the school.
I wanted hear more stories about the Jubilee singers so I searched The History Makers Digital Archive to listen to history makers talk more about them.
I found over 150 stories with personal accounts of their formation and journey to save the university, from the likes of Matthew Kennedy, Etta Moten Barnett, Julia Bond, etc. I found the interview with Etta Moten Barnet ( a popular American Actress who paved way for new roles for African Women on stage and screen) very interesting.
She recounted how she had an early musical career singing for the Jackson Jubilee Singers, which was the sextet formed by one of the female founding members Jennie Jackson.
Fisk Jubilee Singers Founding Members
My knowledge of Fisk University’s hurdles and victories and the Jubilee singer’s will to not only change the status quo of black entertainment, but also save their beloved HBCU gives me a sense of pride, and oddly a feeling of empowerment to strive and be outstanding in all that I do.