Nashville, Tenn., September 30, 2016 – Activist and Fisk alumna Diane Nash will return to Fisk University to serve as the keynote speaker for the annual Jubilee Day convocation on Thursday, October 6, 2016 at 10am in the Fisk Memorial Chapel.
The Jubilee Day convocation annually commemorates the historic day in 1871 when the Fisk Jubilee Singers® departed from Fisk University to perform around the United States and abroad in order to raise funds for the university.
“It is always a pleasure when Diane Nash returns to Fisk and an even greater honor to have her serve as the keynote speaker for our Jubilee Day convocation,” said Adrienne Taylor Latham, director of alumni affairs. “Her presence and keynote address will inspire students to make their individual marks towards the betterment of society. Our desire is such that the Jubilee Day celebration will contribute to the spirit of activism.”
Nash is a 1961 graduate of Fisk University and is heavily regarded as an influential activist, dedicating her career to fighting for the ending of segregationist practices and racial injustice. During her time at Fisk, Nash served as a co-founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), actively participating in lunch counter sit-ins throughout the south in an effort to end segregation in public restaurants.
In addition to the keynote address by Nash, the Jubilee Day celebration will include the Inaugural Fisk Jubilee Singers® alumni concert and an exhibit of the Fisk Jubilee Singers®, sponsored by the Office of Special Collections.
The opening reception for the exhibit is scheduled to begin at 4pm in the John Hope and Aurelia Franklin Library. The exhibit stands to celebrate the legacy and contributions made by the singers that began over 140 years ago in 1871. The Fisk Jubilee Singers® alumni concert will begin at 6pm in the Fisk Memorial Chapel with a video tribute to Diane Nash and will feature performances by renowned pianist and composer George Cooper, among others.
For more information about the Jubilee Day celebration, please contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at 615-329-8632 or e-mail alatham@fisk.edu.
