Portrait of the Fisk University class of 1888.

Black and white portrait of five members of the Fisk University class of 1888. Two men are seated in the center, flanked by three women standing behind and beside them. All individuals are dressed in formal 19th-century attire, with the men wearing suits and ribbon badges and the women in long, elegant dresses with high collars. The backdrop features ornate decoration, adding to the formal nature of the photograph. — Fisk University class of 1888.

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Notes

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Background

Fisk University was founded in 1866 specifically to provide education to freed black Americans after the Civil War, making it one of the first black colleges in the United States. While it was initially led by white missionaries from the American Missionary Association, its mission was always to serve black American students. Over time, it became a cornerstone of black intellectual and cultural life, especially known for excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences.

Sources

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. “W. E. B. Du Bois with the Fisk University class of 1888” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1888. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/8e0981a2-4aec-a10a-e040-e00a18063089

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