Fisk University has announced that renowned political leader, business owner, and New York Times bestselling author Stacey Abrams will be their featured speaker for the annual Jubilee Day celebration on Sunday, October 6, 2024.
This is a memorable moment for the Fisk community, as they celebrate the courage, talent, and unwavering commitment of the Fisk Jubilee Singers® to their alma mater, which continues to inspire generations.
The celebration will take place at the historic Fisk Memorial Chapel and feature musical performances, tributes, and speeches. Attendees can expect a memorable experience that highlights the university’s rich history, vibrant culture, and unwavering commitment to academic excellence.
Dr. Agenia Walker Clark, President of Fisk University, expressed her excitement about Abrams’ participation, stating, “Stacey Abrams is a true visionary who has inspired countless people around the world. Her unwavering commitment to social justice and her dedication to empowering communities align perfectly with the values of Fisk University. We are honored to have her as our guest speaker for Jubilee Day.”
Stacey Abrams is indeed a visionary leader, an accomplished attorney, and a staunch advocate for social justice. As a former Georgia State Representative and Minority Leader, she has been at the forefront of progressive politics, championing voting rights, economic equality, and healthcare access.
Abrams is also a successful entrepreneur and author, whose work has been widely acclaimed for its thought-provoking insights and unwavering commitment to positive change.
Celebrated annually, Jubilee Day commemorates the historic day in 1871 when the Fisk Jubilee Singers® departed to tour the United States and abroad to raise funds for the university.
George L. White, Fisk treasurer and music professor, created a nine-member choral ensemble of students and took it on tour to earn money for the school. The group left campus for its first engagements on October 6, 1871. By 1873 the group grew to eleven members and toured Europe for the first time. Funds raised that year were used to construct the school’s first permanent building, Jubilee Hall.
Today Jubilee Hall, designated a National Historic Landmark by the US Department of Interior in 1975, is one of the oldest structures on tbe Fisk campus. The beautiful Victorian Gothic building houses a floor-to-ceiling portrait of the original Jubilee Singers®, commissioned as a gift from England to the University by Queen Victoria during the 1873 tour.
Opera about Fisk Jubilee Singers® premieres October 12 in Seattle
Seattle Opera presents a world premiere opera, Tazewell Thompson’s Jubilee October 12–26, 2024 about the intrepid troupe of Black American singers who changed music history. With a score comprising over 40 spirituals, from “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Wade in the Water” to “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel” and “Balm in Gilead,” the opera follows the Fisk Jubilee Singers® as they embark on their first tours, raising money for the fledgling Fisk University.
While much of the opera will have orchestral accompaniment, the diegetic choral numbers— those performed by the choir of characters within the narrative world of the opera—will be sung a cappella, just as they were on the real-life Jubilee tours.
