Country music and the Grand Ole Opry is what springs to mind when it comes to Nashville and its melody maker scene. But did you know that the moniker “Music City ” was coined because of the post-Civil War popularity of a choir composed of Black college students known as the Fisk Jubilee Singers?
According to The Tennessean, the singing group put Nashville on the music map and broke racial barriers. With their rousing Negro spirituals, scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. says the group “introduced the world to the sacred artistry of their enslaved ancestors.”
This month, we look back on those that have shaped the Black history of Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Mark Pecar)
The Jubilee Singers were formed at the historically Black liberal arts college Fisk University, and departed Nashville in 1871 on a touring mission to raise money to save their beloved school from closure. Although they got off to a rocky start, they saved Fisk from financial straits and won over audiences stateside and in Europe, where their high-profile fans included President Ulysses S. Grant, writer Mark Twain, and Queen Victoria.
You can visit the campus of this historically Black college (HBCU), the city’s oldest institution of higher learning, which was launched during Reconstruction in 1866 as a school for African Americans. Annually on October 6, Fisk observes the anniversary of the original Jubilee Singers’ departure from campus and the Grammy-winning contemporary Jubilee Singers conclude the day’s ceremonies with a song-filled pilgrimage to the gravesites of the original choir members.
Because Black history matters.
Welcome to Nashville, also known widely as Music City. (Photo Credit: Drew Hays)
Located on the third floor of Fisk’s John Hope and Aurelia Elizabeth Franklin Library, explore the Aaron Douglas Gallery — named after and featuring artwork by one of the most accomplished and influential visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance. In 1944, Douglas concluded his art career by founding Fisk’s art department, and his murals are located on the second floor of the Cravath Hall administration building.
Beyond Fisk, check out these Black history highlights on your next trip to Nashville.
The Musical Roots of Nashville
The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is touted as the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans — from classical to country to jazz and Hip Hop. Immerse yourself in the museum’s thoughtfully curated interactive collections and exhibitions, which spotlight music pioneers past and present.
African Americans have shaped music immensely throughout the country, but most especially in Nashville. (Photo Credit: @taylor)
African American inspired musical genres have taken root in every corner of the city. (Photo Credit: Brandon Jean)
From its beginnings as a radio show in 1925 to the iconic live music venue, The Grand Ole Opry is Nashville’s top attraction. The talents and contributions of BIPOC country artists, however, have not always been recognized by the country music industry as a whole. To create a safe and inclusive space for Black country, blues, roots, folk, and Americana artists and fans, Nashville’s Holly G. founded Black Opry, an online community that has expanded to a live music collective.
Slowly but surely, the times they are a changin’, and several Black performers have been inducted as Grand Ole Opry members, including Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, and DeFord Bailey. Bailey, a harmonica player who began his career on the radio in the 1920s, is touted as country music’s first African American star.
The History of Nashville
Explore the Tennessee State Museum, where the permanent exhibitions chronicle the state’s Black history, including the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movements in Tennessee.
Nonviolent protests have challenged social and systemic norms in Nashville, from the Civil Rights Era to today. (Photo Credit: Duncan Shaffer)
Stop by the Nashville Public Library to learn more about Nashville’s civil rights challenges throughout the state’s history. (Photo Credit: Drew Beamer)
The materials exhibited at the Civil Rights Room in the Nashville Public Library capture the trials and triumphs of a pivotal time in our nation’s history when thousands of African Americans in Nashville sparked a nonviolent challenge to racial segregation in the city and across the South.
Just 20 minutes from downtown Nashville, take a walking tour of Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, the home of the seventh US President from 1804 until his death in 1845. Visitors learn how vital the lives of the enslaved were to Tennessee’s farming industry and the hardships they endured until gaining their freedom. Walk “in their footsteps” and see the humble log homes where Jackson’s enslaved families lived, on the acres surrounding his mansion.
3 Black-Owned Eateries to Support Now
Hot chicken is a finger lickin’ favorite in Nashville that was first served at the famed Prince’s Hot Chicken. The spicy recipe was inspired by a scorned lover who thought she would get even with a fiery hot plate of fried chicken. Instead, founder Thornton Prince improved the recipe and made a name for himself as the father of Nashville’s hot chicken. Nearly 100 years later, his great niece, Andre Prince Jeffries, carries on the family tradition.
Nashville is home to the original hot chicken — you’ve got to try it. (Photo Credit: Frankie Lopez)
Satisfy your sweet tooth at The Cupcake Connection, founded by Mignon Francis, who used her last $5 to bet on herself and develop a tasty cake recipe that has blossomed into a destination bakery with over five million cupcakes sold.
Housed in the landmark Melrose Theatre, Sinema Restaurant + Bar puts a sophisticated spin on cocktails and classic American fare like steak, seafood, and pasta. Treat yourself to the weekend bottomless brunch.
Check out the rest of our Black History & Culture blog series by following the tag below.
