Tell Them We Are Singing for Jesus: The Original Fisk Jubilee Singers and Christian Reconstruction, 1871-1878

Between 1871 and 1878, the Jubilee Singers presented concerts featuring the Negro spirituals that won the applause and admiration of the Western world. The rise and renown of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers form one of the most celebrated stories of post-Civil War America. Equally fascinating are the varied, multitudinous influences that converged to catapult them onto the world's stage and into the annals of history. "Tell Them We Are Singing for Jesus" explores the Christian missionary ideals and convictions that spawned the Fisk Jubilee Singers during the 1870s and guided the ensemble throughout its impressive US and European travels. This historic choral ensemble was sponsored by the American Missionary Association (AMA), the parent organization of Fisk University. The troupe's stellar success afforded the American Missionary Association an unprecedented public platform from which to advance its Christian views for social change. Fisk University's reputation was also enhanced as praise for the Jubilee Singers' artistic performances, noble mission, and refinement filled the press. Each company member stood as a living testimonial to the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual attainment of which all African Americans were capable. AMA leaders considered the Jubilee Singers as divinely appointed fellow laborers in attaining the lofty goals of Christian Reconstruction. Through a unique partnership that blended ministry and music, the AMA and the Jubilee Singers fought to establish a world in which the freedom message of the Negro spiritual rang true.