Fisk University in the Great War

By Allison Griffey

Like other schools, Fisk University contributed to the war effort during World War I. University leaders promoted the war effort and inspired students to participate. Two professors, Dexter N. Lutz and Leo E. Walker, joined the service not long after war was declared. On the homefront, professor Isaac Fisher coordinated many patriotic events on campus, such as lectures and flag raising ceremonies. He inspired students by linking patriotism with increased civil rights since the war had created new opportunities for African-American at home and overseas. Fisk instituted weekly military training for its male students through the Students’ Army Training Corps and converted its facilities to host over 600 black soldiers on-site.

Odie Falls Jennings, 1918

Tennessee World War I Gold Star Records, 1918-1924

Jennings was a member of Fisk’s Students’ Army Training Corps when he died at age 20 of influenza and pneumonia during the global Influenza Epidemic of 1918. The S.A.T.C. was a popular choice for college-age men, since it allowed them to continue their studies while joining the military and training on the homefront.

Fisk was one of three black institutions, alongside Howard University and Atlanta University that collaborated to establish the first black officers' training camp at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Black college students were instrumental in the formation of this camp, at least in part because of the direct impact the draft had on their lives. The Selective Service Act of 1917 called for draft registration of American men regardless of race. While some African-American were hesitant to support the United States' involvement in the war, many hoped that participation might lead to securing equal rights for the black population. Over 370,000 African-American men were inducted into the army. The military remained segregated and most black soldiers were assigned to service units that performed manual labor, though the army did create two combat divisions for African-American troops.

Letter to Governor Tom C. Rye from F. A. McKenzie, President of Fisk University, April 7, 1917

Governor Tom C. Rye Papers, 1915-1919

These documents describe the willingness of the African-American students at Fisk University to participate in the war effort. McKenzie also suggests organizing a network of African-American schools in Tennessee to create programs for military training and volunteer service in organizations such as the Red Cross.

Women at Fisk also worked industriously to “do their bit.” Their auxiliary chapter of the Red Cross produced 450 bed shirts and 100 knitted items for servicemen. Additionally, black women joined in the war effort by leading liberty loan drives, hosting rallies, registering nurses, and supporting black servicemen through clubs such as the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), Red Cross, and women's auxiliaries for black soldier unit. Ella Brown, dean of women, advocated for food conservation and asked students to take an active role addressing food shortage issues overseas. Professor Fisher also arranged for leading black women in the community to share their views on the war with soldiers. These lectures were given in part because professor Fisher believed women’s’ voices were as necessary to hear as men’s’ and because he hoped that the women would inspire soldiers by reminding them of the women in their lives.

Charter members of Fisk University Auxiliary, Nashville Chapter, American Red Cross, circa 1918

Davidson County Women in the World War, 1914-1919

Members of the group (alphabetical): Misses Abigail Jackson, Chairman, Instructor in Mathematics, Felina G. Blaine, Velda T. Brown, Lucy Brewer, Helen M. Burrell, Grace B. Broyles, Mabel E. Campbell, Emmie F. Drake, Tommie Sue A. Fosta, Pearl C. Haynes, Flay M. Henderson, Arah L. Horton, Florence B. Jackson, Clara W. Johnson, Clara L. Langrum, Ada B. Lewis, Ferris W. Lewis, Andrades S. Lindsay, Alma A. Oakes, Manila L. Owens, Roselyn L. Purdy, Nellie A. Randolph, Altamese C. Roberts, Ruth I. Rowan, Valda E. Sanders, Margaret A. Slater, Moirselles M. Stewart, Ethelynde J. Sutton, Alice M. Thomas, Isabel B. Walden, Annie G. Quick, Mrs. Ella W. Brown, Dean of Women and Mrs. M. S. Crosthwait, Registrar.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

School Memories: Fisk University Scrapbook re-released on TSLA website

Recently re-released on TSLA’s website, the Fisk University Scrapbook: School Memories, William Henry Fort, Jr. (1911-1974) is available for viewing with updated image quality and watermark removal.

William Henry Fort, Jr.’s Fisk University scrapbook documents Fort’s time at the university during the 1920s, less than a decade before Fisk became the first African American institution to gain accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The portions of the scrapbook on display highlight the contributions of Fisk University, especially the historically significant role that the university played during a time of great social upheaval in the South.

Fisk University students pose for this 1928 photo. Ambrose A. Bennett Family Papers, 1918-1996, TSLA

From the establishment of the first school for free African Americans in 1833, and well beyond the opening of the Fisk School in 1866, circumstances surrounding African-American education in Nashville were volatile. Many teachers were threatened, run out of town, or dealt with in a violent manner. Students frequently confronted violence on their way to and from school. Some African-American schools were burned to the ground or simply closed by local officials.

The establishment of one educational institution that would contribute significantly to this “natural emancipation” was made possible, in great part, by three men: John Ogden, Erastus M. Cravath and Edward P. Smith. These three Northerners, among others, recognized the need for the creation of a formal education system for African Americans. Though encountering numerous obstacles along the way, Ogden, Cravath and Smith eventually acquired the former Union hospital land within the city of Nashville. This spot included approximately twenty buildings and was situated in a prime location near the African-American community. Through the efforts of these three men, and with the assistance of others, the doors of Fisk School first opened on January 9, 1866.

Fisk’s notable alumni range from poets and novelists to politicians and activists. The dedication by students seen when Fisk first opened its doors has continued on through the years. The leadership required to succeed at Fisk helped produce many notable students. W.E. B. Du Bois, civil rights activist and author, graduated from Fisk in 1888, and later furthered his education at Harvard University. Du Bois was the first African-American male awarded a Ph.D. from Harvard. John Hope Franklin, historian and educator, also graduated from Fisk and was awarded a Ph.D. from Harvard. Another notable alumnus is the well-known poet Nikki Giovanni, who graduated from Fisk in 1967 and also attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.

Included in the scrapbook are photographs of various campus buildings, numerous students and significant figures at Fisk, including a photograph of Langston Hughes and a photograph of past Fisk president, Thomas E. Jones.

Be sure to check out this amazing collection here!

The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.