1873

The Fisk Jubilee Singers embark on a European tour, performing before Queen Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm I, and other heads of state. Their renditions of African American spirituals earn standing ovations and introduce the world to a distinctly Black American art form. Total fundraising across multiple tours exceeded $150,000, building Jubilee Hall.

Henry Ossian Flipper entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1873 as the first African American cadet. Born enslaved in Georgia, he endured four years of total social ostracism from white classmates — eating, living, and drilling alone. He graduated in 1877, the first Black West Point graduate, and served as an officer with the Buffalo Soldiers on the western frontier.