Fisk University
Fisk University
Founded 1866
Fisk University was not only founded but opened its doors in Nashville, Tennessee within weeks of the Confederate surrender following the Civil War. Fisk is named after General Clinton B. Fisk, who donated a former Union Army barrack to the institution.
Fisk identifies itself as the ‘cornerstone of excellence and education.’ For Black scholars, this characterization is accurate. Fisk was the first Black college or university to earn accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges. Fisk – like most HBCUs – is a touchstone of intellectual curiosity while also serving as the foundation of academic potential and growth. And as discussed in HBCU, Black students often had restricted access to pursuing higher education. Thus, their options were limited to historically Black colleges and universities.
Fisk provides the following as a general overview of the institution: “Fisk University is a highly ranked historically black university, according to U.S. News and World Report, and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Nashville, Tennessee. Fisk’s outstanding faculty and students continue to enhance the University’s international reputation for academic excellence. Our scholars continue to make strides in all areas of the industry from Social Justice to the sciences. A Fisk education prepares our students to become beacons in servicing the community and well-rounded leaders and scholars in their respective fields. Fisk offers more than 20+ undergraduate and graduate programs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Clinical Psychology with a bridge Masters to Ph.D. programs through a partnership with Vanderbilt University.”
Fisk University is home to a prominent list of noteworthy alums, including: civil rights hero W.E.B. DuBois, Reconstruction era activist Ida B. Wells, former D.C. mayor Marion Berry, longterm U.S. Congressman John Lewis, civil rights pioneer Diane Nash, inventor Otis Boykin, popular television star Helen Martin, and countless other giants in every industry.
