Phoebe Anderson

Phoebe Anderson was a talented student at Fisk University during the difficult years after the American Civil War. She joined Ella Sheppard, Benjamin Holmes, Thomas Rutling, and other students in a choir organized by school treasurer George White. Under his demanding direction, they rehearsed hymns, cantatas, and the spirituals their families had preserved through slavery. The choir became the Jubilee Singers and traveled to raise money for their struggling school. As part of the group, Phoebe helped carry songs of sorrow, faith, and hope to audiences unfamiliar with them. Her voice contributed to a shared mission that supported Fisk and honored the history held within the music.