KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A trailblazing group known as the first ones to desegregate a public school in the South, the Scarboro 85, invited a legendary Black singing group to perform Friday night.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers, a group from Fisk University in Nashville, dates back to 1871 when they introduced "slave songs" to the world, preserving a touted musical tradition in Black history. The group would later break racial barriers in the late 1800s, following emancipation.
On Friday, they performed at High Places Community Church in the historic Grove Theater. It was part of a fundraising event, as groups hope to soon build a monument honoring the Scarboro 85. An organizer said the group hopes to raise $2.9 million by 2026 for the monument.
"I think we should be honored because the truth should be told. And, we were the first school in Tennessee, so we should be honored," said one attendee of the event.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers are next headed to Central United Methodist Church in Staunton, Virginia, for a performance before returning to Nashville for a May 5 performance.