The Fisk Jubilee Singers® Set to Commemorate 150th Anniversary with Yearlong Celebration of Events

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers® will celebrate the 150^th anniversary of their founding with a year-long celebration of events. Organized as a choral ensemble in 1871, the Fisk Jubilee Singers® have played an essential role in introducing and sharing the tradition of the Negro spiritual with the world. This remarkable ensemble has traveled the world singing sacred songs and raising funds to support Fisk University for the past 150 years. 

"It is very exciting to know that October 6, 2021 will mark the 150th anniversary of The Fisk Jubilee Singers®  It will be an anniversary that honors George L. White, founder and first director of the ensemble as well as members of the original troupe," said Paul T. Kwami, D.M.A, musical director of The Fisk Jubilee Singers®. "Their sacrifices left a rich legacy and cultural values for us and today, we stand on their shoulders as we celebrate the future of the Fisk Jubilee Singers® and the Negro spirituals."

Today, the ensemble continues to perform globally and is comprised of Fisk University students who are selected annually through an audition process. The Fisk Jubilee Singers® have received numerous awards, including a 2021 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Roots Gospel Album for their recently released album, Celebrating Fisk! (The 150^th Anniversary Album). The ensemble has been inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame and the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame. In 2008, the Fisk Jubilee Singers® were also awarded the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest artistic honor by President George W. Bush.

In honor of the 150^th anniversary, a fund has been established at Fisk University. Donations can be made by visiting https://connect.fisk.edu/fisk-jubilee-singers-150^th  or be sent to the Office of Advancement Services at Fisk University (1000 17^th Avenue, North – Nashville, TN 37208).

For more information on The Fisk Jubilee Singers® or the 150^th anniversary events, please contact Dr. Paul Kwami at [email protected] or 615-329-8744.

About Fisk University 
Founded in 1866, Fisk University is a private, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Consistently recognized for its brand of academic excellence, Fisk ranks in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report's prestigious Tier One of Liberal Arts institutions and the Top 10 rankings of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Fisk was also ranked #3 for most awarded research expenditures in the 2019 rankings of National Liberal Arts Institutions by The Washington Monthly. To learn more about Fisk University, please visit www.fisk.edu. 

Media Contact:
Paul T. Kwami, D.M.A.
[email protected] | (p) 615.329.8744

SOURCE Fisk University