On May 1, 1866, just after the Civil War, Fisk University was founded in Nashville, Tennessee by the American Missionary Association. Created to provide education to newly freed African Americans, Fisk quickly became a beacon of Black academic excellence. Despite meager resources, the university emphasized classical education, the arts, and activism. Its world-famous Jubilee Singers later raised funds globally, helping save the institution from closure. Fisk has produced notable alumni like civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois and U.S. Representative John Lewis. It stands today as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with deep roots in freedom, resilience, and Black intellectual tradition.
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