Fisk Jubilee Singers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fisk Jubilee Singers
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Fisk Jubilee Singers, 1875
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| Background information | |
| Genres | a cappella |
| Years active | 1871–present |
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are an amazing a cappella singing group. They are made up of students from Fisk University, a historic college in Nashville, Tennessee. The first group started in 1871. Their goal was to travel and perform to raise money for their school.
They mostly sang traditional spirituals. These are powerful songs created by African Americans. The original singers traveled across the United States. They also performed in England and other parts of Europe. Later groups in the 1800s also toured Europe.
In 2002, the Library of Congress honored their 1909 song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." It was added to the United States National Recording Registry. This means it's a very important recording! In 2008, they received a National Medal of Arts. This is a top award for artists.
Contents
The Start of the Fisk Jubilee Singers
The Fisk Jubilee Singers began to help their university. Fisk University is a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded after the American Civil War. Its purpose was to educate newly freed African Americans.
In 1871, the university was only five years old. It was in serious financial trouble. To save the school, George Leonard White had an idea. He was the school's treasurer and music director. He put together a group of nine students to sing.
The group had four young men and five young women. They included Ella Sheppard, Maggie Porter, and Jennie Jackson. On October 6, 1871, they started their tour. They first performed in Cincinnati, Ohio.
A Generous Act and a New Name
After a concert in Cincinnati, the group showed great kindness. They gave their small earnings to help victims of the Great Chicago Fire. This fire happened in October 1871. Maggie Porter, one of the singers, remembered this act. She said they sent all their money to Chicago.
The group then traveled to Columbus, Ohio. They faced many challenges there. They had little money and poor places to stay. The press and audiences were not always kind. This made them feel tired and sad.
The group and their pastor prayed about continuing the tour. Mr. White also prayed. He felt they needed a special name. The next morning, he told the singers, "Children, it shall be Jubilee Singers." This name honored the Jewish "year of Jubilee" from the Bible. In this year, slaves were set free. Since many students at Fisk were newly freed, the name was perfect.
Breaking Barriers Through Music
The Jubilee Singers performed differently from other groups. At the time, "black minstrel" shows were popular. These shows had white musicians pretending to be Black people. The Jubilee Singers were real African Americans. They sang their own songs.
At first, some people were confused. They expected the minstrel shows. But soon, audiences began to love the singers' voices. The Jubilee Singers helped make Negro spirituals famous. Many people had never heard these songs before.
Ella Sheppard said these slave songs were very special. They were "sacred to our parents." They were used in religious worship. It took time for the singers to share them publicly. But they soon saw the "wonderful beauty and power" of their songs. After a tough start, their first U.S. tours raised $40,000 for Fisk University.
Performing for Presidents and Queens
In early 1872, the group sang at a big music festival in Boston. They were then invited to sing for President Ulysses S. Grant at the White House. This happened in March 1872. They also performed for Vice President Schuyler Colfax.
Next, they went to New York. They sang for large crowds in Brooklyn and Manhattan. They gained national attention and many donations. They stayed in New York for six weeks. By the time they returned to Nashville, they had raised all the money Mr. White had promised.
In 1873, the group toured Great Britain and Europe. They had 11 members by then. In April, they performed for Queen Victoria. They sang songs like "Steal Away to Jesus." They returned to Europe in 1875 and toured until 1878. They received amazing reviews. This tour raised about $150,000 for the university. This money built Fisk's first permanent building. It was named Jubilee Hall. This building is still standing today. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1975.
The Original Group Disbands
The original Jubilee Singers stopped touring in 1878. Their travel schedule was very hard. Ella Sheppard said they were tired from bad treatment. Hotels and railroads were difficult. Concerts sometimes had few people.
Maggie Porter also shared their struggles. She said there were times they had no place to sleep or eat. Mr. White would buy them sandwiches. He would search for places for them to stay. Sometimes, he would walk through bad weather to find shelter.
A new Jubilee Singers choir was formed in 1879. George L. White and singer Frederick J. Loudin led this group. This new group continued the legacy.
The original Jubilee Singers introduced slave songs to the world. They helped save this special American music. They also broke down racial barriers. They raised money for their school when it was struggling. In 1999, a documentary called Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory featured them. It aired on PBS. In 2007, they visited Ghana. This was a historic trip. In 2008, they won the National Medal of Arts. President George W. Bush presented the award.
Jubilee Day Celebration
Fisk University celebrates Jubilee Day every year. It's on October 6. This day remembers the anniversary of the singers' first tour.
Modern Achievements of the Singers
The Jubilee Singers still perform today. They are a touring group of Fisk University students. As of 2000, the group had 14 members. They sing without instruments. They have performed with famous artists. These include Danny Glover and Faith Hill. The group was also inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are known for keeping Negro spirituals alive. In November 2008, they received the National Medal of Arts. This is the highest award for artists in the U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush gave them the award.
The Singers in Arts and Culture
A documentary called Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory aired on PBS. It was part of the American Experience series. It first aired in 2000 and has been shown again since.
Another documentary, Matthew Kennedy: One Man's Journey, came out in 2007. It was about Matthew Washington Kennedy, a former director of the singers. The Fisk Jubilee Singers performed at its premiere.
In 2010, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a play. It was called The Jubilee Singers. It told the story of their 1873 European tour.
The radio drama series Adventures in Odyssey released a three-episode story in 2010. It was called "The Jubilee Singers." Listeners could hear Frederick Douglass tell their story. It showed how they saved Fisk University.
In 2013, a composer and lyricist wrote "The Year of Jubilee." It was a musical piece for singers and a choir. It told the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
In 2016, Tyehimba Jess wrote a book of poems. It was called "Olio." It included poems about the first Jubilee Singers.
In 2018, country music artist Rodney Atkins released a song. It was called "Caught Up in the Country." The Fisk Jubilee Singers were featured in it.
"Jubilee" is an a cappella musical. It is based on the Jubilee Singers. It premiered in Washington, D.C., in 2019.
Paul T. Kwami was the director of the Jubilee Singers since 1994. He passed away on September 10, 2022.
Awards and Recognitions
The Fisk Jubilee Singers have received many honors:
- 1996: The National Arts Club gave them a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 2000: They were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
- 2004: Their song "Poor Man Lazarus" won a Dove Award. This was for their 2003 album In Bright Mansions.
- 2006: The group was honored on the Music City Walk of Fame.
- 2008: They received the National Medal of Arts.
- 2009: They were nominated for a Grammy Award. This was for their song "I Believe" with Jonny Lang.
- 2021: Their album Celebrating Fisk! The 150th Anniversary Album won a Grammy Award. This was their first Grammy! It won in the Best Roots Gospel Album category.
Notable Alumni
Many talented people have been members of the Jubilee Singers:
- Roland Hayes: A famous singer who was the first African-American male concert artist to gain international fame.
- Frederick J. Loudin: A bass singer who also directed the "Original Fisk Jubilee Singers." He toured the world for nearly 30 years.
- Orpheus Myron McAdoo: A singer who toured widely with his own minstrel companies.
- Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones: A soprano singer known for opera and popular music.
- Matthew Washington Kennedy: He was a singer and piano player. Later, he directed the Fisk Jubilee Singers for many years.
- Ella Sheppard: One of the original members. She was a leader and director of the group. She was also a trusted friend of Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass.
Discography
The Fisk Jubilee Singers have made many recordings over their 150-year history. Here are some of their albums:
- I Want to Be Ready (2021)
- Celebrating Fisk: the 150th Anniversary Album (2020) - This album won a Grammy Award!
- Roll Jordan Roll (2015)
- Fisk Jubilee Singers (2011)
- Sacred Journey (2007)
- In Bright Mansions (2003)
- Spirituals (1958)
