The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-06-27

turned out of hotels, called all kinds
Of names but the right one-that
one they earned and gave to Fisk
Fisk Jubilee Singers" They gave
their first concer' in Cincinnati,
Ohio, earning their way as best
they could, However. collections did
not pay expenses. But Professor
White was never discouraged; he
would tell the audience of their
needs in order to make up the ex-
penses. For weeks that is how the
little band kept together When
they sang in those dreary days in
Ohio in II they were cold. often
sick and hungry, poorly clothed, as
were Ella Sheppard, the pianist,
and Maggie Porter, the Jenny Lind
of the company when they sang,
Nobody Knows the Trouble l
See" Only they and George White
knew the heartbreak behind those
cries.
Success Came At Last
Her beautiful face beamed with
great Joy when she tod of their
success. They had worked their
way to Brooklyn, New York and
were introduced to Henry Ward
Beecher. Professor White told him
what their mission was He i'm
mediately said, Yes, your singers
may take the place Of my church
choir Sunday evening, and give a
concert Monday evening" This is
where their first success began. But
the company had no name, so the
Brooklyn papers had it-"Henry
Ward Beechers Negro Minstrels."
A few weeks later they were
called the Christian Singers. This
was in Columbus. Ohio After many
anxious and sleepless nights Pro-
fessor White decided to name his
singers the name was taken from
the Old Testament Year Of Jubi-
lee" The year Of Jubilee had at last
come 10 this little band of singers
and they were witness TO it The
name taken was Jubilee Singers"
About Jan. II. 1872, DR.. Thee. L.
Cuyler, pastor OF the Lafayette
Avenue Presbyterian church OF
Brooklyn, wrote a significant letter
to the New York Tribune, concern
ing the excellence Of the Jubilee
Singers, which was published in
many influential papers Of the coun-
try. He said, 81 never saw a cult
waited Brooklyn assemblage so
moved and melted under the mag
netism Of music before. The wild
melodies Of these emancipated
slaves touched the fount of tears.
and gray-haired men wept like
little children. The harmony Of
these children Of nature and their
musical execution were beyond the
reach Of art Allow me to bespeak
through your paper universal
welcome through the north for
these living representatives OF the
only true native school in AmeTi-
can music
In order TO keep Fisk open, this
little band Of men and women went
out into a world preju5iced and
biased from the first to ask and they
were Inundated, scorned, and
scoffed at until they brought forth
their messages with golden voices
which made men weep. Many a
day they had 10 draw their belts up
a little tighter so as not to feel the
pang Of hunger quite so keenly 1t
was little Maggie Porter who stood
in the snow in soft cloth shoes and
sang, Nobody Knows the Toruble
See" and Swing Low Sweet
Chariot" The extent OF their sacri-
fees, injustices. and privations will
never be truthfully known, but their
perseverance and unwavering de-
termination to make Fisk what II is
Today was not futile for upon their
FAITH, LOVE, HOPES. and Eff
FORTS. Fisk has grown tRo be the
leading Negro university Of the
world ranking with such great uni
versities as Harvard and Yale
Mrs. Maggie Porter Cole in pri-
vate life tgodmother to the writer) |
was the dearest person. loved by |
all. She never grew old and was
a great dreamer, a lover Of chill
dren. and beauty. She was grace
full. dignifed and well poised TO the |
end. She always spoke in soft |
cultured voice For many years she |
sang in the choir Of the Woodward |
Avenue Presbyterian church. Since |
1885, the board Of trustees Of Fisk |
assumed complete re-
for her care the re-
mainder OF her life.