Fisk university history
Hem / Historia, Vetenskap & Forskning / Fisk university history
With each step I take, I yearn to demonstrate to others that every goal, no matter how lofty, can be achieved through sheer dedication and perseverance. Fisk is my home away from home! Apply TODAY!
12:1
Student to
teacher ratio
1000+
University total enrollment
3.5
Average
Student GPA
1200
Average SAT
Test Scores
#1
academic stewardship
(Forbes)
Achieving academic excellence since 1866
Fisk University has stood the test of time for more than 150 years.
The contemporary Jubilee Singers, a Grammy recipient group, perform in a University convocation — and conclude the day's ceremonies with a pilgrimage to the grave sites of the original singers, where once again, the old songs are sung at the burial places of their first performers.
Julia Watson
2025Fisk University captured my heart as the perfect academic home, where the rich diversity, an inclusive community, and a strong sense of family resonated deeply.
Fisk stood out immediately, as it was the first institution to extend me an acceptance, merely four days after I submitted my application. I have built a family and a home away from home with both fellow international and domestic students. Here, we produce true leaders and scholars that are ready to change the world. I am eager to give back by assisting future Fiskites in their professional journeys, leveraging my experiences to guide them.
In this volume, the author attempts to trace its evolution and development from 1866 when it was little more than a primary school to the 1930s and 1940s when it became a center of culture and scholarship; from 1871 when it was necessary to send out Fisk Jubilee Singers to earn operating expenses to the 1940s then it a several million dollar endowment; and from 1866 when black children eagerly sought any education whites gave them to 1925 when students joined alumni to oust a white president they considers dictatorial.
Joe M.
Richardson was Professor Emeritus of History at Florida State University from 1964–2005. The university's dedicated Office of Career Planning and Development resonated with my aspirations. The Fisk tradition of leadership and excellence continued throughout the 20th century and is being carried on today.
Learn More About Our History
A History of Fisk University, 1865-1946
The evolution, impact, and significance of Fisk University from 1865 to 1946
Fisk University has been a leading black educational institution for more than a century.
We Are Fisk.
One of the factors that influenced my decision to attend Fisk was the small class size because I was very particular about receiving one-on-one attention from professors (I prefer one on one tutoring). Upon the completion of my political science degree at Fisk University, my immediate goal is to further my academic journey by enrolling in law school.
True excellence beams from this illustrious campus. Fisk's world-famous Jubilee Singers® originated as a group of traveling students who set out from Nashville on October 6, 1871, taking the entire contents of the University treasury with them for travel expenses, praying that through their music they could somehow raise enough money to keep the doors of their debt-ridden school open.
The singers struggled at first, but before long, their performances so electrified audiences that they traveled throughout the United States and Europe, moving to tears audiences that included William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Ulysses S.
Grant, William Gladstone, Mark Twain, Johann Strauss, and Queen Victoria.
To this day, each October 6, Fisk pauses to observe the anniversary of the singers' departure from campus in 1871. I knew Fisk was the perfect fit for me, even during the horrible tornado that hit North Nashville in March of 2020, I was on campus and was able to see how all the incredible Fiskites band together to help out the community.
He is author of The Negro in the Reconstruction of Florida, 1865–1866.
"The author [has] skillfully prepared a fine history of Fisk University. Aside from the small class size, Fisk also provided me with a full tuition scholarship.
For the Love of Fisk: Taylor Wilson
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For the Love of Fisk: Lamar Allen
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For the Love of Fisk: Karli Lusain
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Fisk University Announces Dr.
Brian L. Nelms as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
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Fisk University Among Top 10 Private HBCUs and #1 in Tennessee, Continuing a Legacy of Excellence
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Supporting Student Wellness at Fisk University
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Fisk University to Commemorate Jubilee Day with Events at NMAAM and Convocation Featuring Alumna Dr.
Shirley J. Bailey ’58
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Fisk University Earns National Recognition for Commitment to First-Generation Student Success
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Fisk University Appoints Tonya Walker as Chief Financial Officer
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Distinguished Educator and Author Joins Fisk University as Executive Director of John Lewis Center for Social Justice
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Fisk is Family to me.
Fisk was my first choice because of the small class ratio of about 12:1, which was the lowest of the other schools I applied to. There are numerous activities in place to ensure that each student has a positive school experience and thrives here.
Chiemerie Vivian Ike-Njoku
2025Fisk has created an environment that feels like home—a place where I am not just a student, but an integral part of a loving and nurturing Fisk Family.
We Are Fisk.
Upon completing my matriculation through my Biology program, I plan on attending medical school and ultimately becoming a medical anesthesiologist.
We Are Fisk.
My time at Fisk University has laid a solid foundation of knowledge and skills; thus, I look forward with great anticipation to the next chapter of my academic and professional journey.
Jansen Buchanan
2023Coming here, I realized why I needed to be here even more.