Jennie Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennie Jackson
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Jennie Jackson DeHart, from a 1911 publication.
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| Born | 1852 |
| Died | May 4, 1910 (aged 57–58) Cincinnati, Ohio
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Jennie Jackson DeHart (after marriage) |
| Occupation | singer |
| Known for | original member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers |
Jennie Jackson (born 1852 – died 1910) was an American singer and a teacher who taught people how to sing. She was one of the first members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. This was a special group of African-American singers who sang a cappella, meaning without instruments. Jennie toured with them from 1871 to 1877. Later, in 1891, she started her own singing group called the Jennie Jackson Concert Company.
Jennie's Early Life
Jennie Jackson was born in Kingston, Tennessee. Her family had a difficult past. Her grandfather and parents were enslaved. However, Jennie herself grew up free from a young age. This happened after her mother, who worked as a laundress, gained her freedom.
Jennie and her family lived in Nashville, Tennessee, during and after the American Civil War. In 1866, she became one of the first students at the Fisk Free Colored School. This school later became Fisk University. In 1871, Jennie joined the Jubilee Singers when they were first formed.
Her Singing Career
Jennie Jackson traveled with the Fisk Jubilee Singers from 1871 to 1877. They performed concerts in Great Britain and other parts of Europe. The group sang spirituals and other songs without any musical instruments. These tours helped raise money to build the Fisk University campus.
Many famous people came to hear them sing. These included Henry Ward Beecher, William Lloyd Garrison, Queen Victoria, Mark Twain, and Ulysses S. Grant. Jennie had to leave the group in 1877 because she became sick with colitis. In 1873, Queen Victoria asked an artist named Edmund Havel to paint a large picture of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Jennie was placed in the center of this painting.
Later, Jennie sang with a new version of the group. She also performed with Maggie Porter Cole, who was another original Fisk Jubilee Singer. In 1891, Jennie started her own singing group called the Jennie Jackson Concert Company. She also taught people how to sing.
Personal Life
In 1884, Jennie Jackson married Rev. Andrew J. DeHart. They lived in the Walnut Hills area of Cincinnati, Ohio. Her husband passed away in 1909. Jennie died at her home in Cincinnati in 1910, when she was 58 years old.
In 1978, Jennie Jackson and the other first members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers received special honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Fisk University. This honor was given to them after they had passed away.
