Fisk University in Nashville is one of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institutions to be established in America, with its first classes being held in January 1866.
The Civil War had ended less than a year earlier. There would be no assistance from the state of Tennessee and little financial support from a population that was certainly bitter at the end of the war. To survive, the school needed to raise money – and fast.
“In 1871, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, led by their director, George White, traveled around the United States singing songs,” Paul T. Kwami, ensemble musical director and chair, told National Public Radio.
According to Kwami, White told his young singers to perform Western classical music because he had no idea how white audiences would greet an African American choral group.
“They happened to sing the Negro spirituals, and that was a time when they introduced this wonderful genre of music to the whole world,” he said.
To honor its history and commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ensemble, the Fisk Jubilee Singers will host and perform at a benefit concert in Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Nov. 11, 2021.
As the landmark Oct. 6 150th anniversary neared, the group made history in March 2021 by winning its first Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album, making Fisk University the first HBCU to receive the coveted recognition. It was also honored with the Rhapsody and Rhythm Award from Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music and a Dove Award nomination.
“This has been an extraordinary year, and we are so excited about the future of the Fisk Jubilee Singers,” Jens Frederiksen, Fisk executive vice president, said in a release. “The voices of the Fisk Jubilee Singers have inspired generations across the country and the world, and today’s ensemble continues to exemplify everything that makes Fisk University such a special place.”
Kwami, who was born in Ghana, came to Fisk as a student, performed with the group, and became the Jubilee Singers music director in 1994.
“These songs, the Negro spirituals, still contain powerful messages that are life-changing,” he said. “When I teach my students, we always talk about the lyrics. We do talk about the historical significance of the songs, but we always talk about the effect the messages and the melodies and harmonies have on us today. As a result of such discussions, we develop an emotional attachment with each song. And so, when we are performing, we perform as if we are the ones who actually wrote these songs. We also have the responsibility of sharing the messages of these songs with all of our listeners.”
The ensemble comprises only Fisk University students, who are selected annually through an audition process.
Kwami said some of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers had been slaves who never knew their parents.
“If they were to come back today, I am sure they will be very happy that we are still singing the Negro spirituals and also still talking about them,” he said.
The Nov. 11 concert performers will include Bobby Jones, Jason Eskridge, Ruby Amanfu, Natalie Hemby, Brassville, Rissi Palmer, Kyla Jade, Tommy Sims, Starlito and Curt Chambers.
