by Sandra Jean Graham
Web Table 4.4. Biographical Dictionary of Jubilee Concert Troupes
This list is an attempt to show the pervasiveness of jubilee troupes in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and to provide brief profiles. For the most part, I include only those troupes that were organized before 1900 and that sang spirituals in concert, even if their entertainments were supplemented with comic business and modern songs; occasionally I include troupes that began in the twentieth century close to 1900 but offer citations only rather than biographical essays. Jubilee minstrel troupes are not included unless to identify them as such when it isn't obvious. References to secondary literature can be found in the book's bibliography. It is hoped that this compilation will spur further research on the many important jubilee troupes that were active in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, as well as introduce readers to the many flourishing jubileers who have been long overlooked.
I have quoted names of performers exactly as given in the original source, which is why there may be spelling inconsistencies.
Aetna Jubilee Singers, 1893–94
Alabama Jubilee Singers, 1876–1940s
Allen Jubilee Singers, 1895?–1898?
American Jubilee Singers, also known as Colored American Jubilee Singers or Afro-American Jubilee Singers; see Alabama Jubilee Singers for 1895–1897
Arlington Jubilee Singers, 1876
Atlanta University Quartet, late 1880s–late 1890s?
Boston Ideal Colored Troubadours and Jubilee Singers, 1880s. See book chapter 8.
Brockway Jubilee Singers, 1902–1909?
Camp Nelson Jubilee Singers, 1897-1901
Canadian Jubilee Singers, 1879–1907?
Carolina Singers, 1873?–? see also South Carolina Jubilee Singers
Centennial Jubilee Singers, 1875–1896?
Charleston Jubilee Serenaders, 1879
Charleston Jubilee Singers, 1897–1899?
Claflin University Jubilee Singers, 1897–1912
Coleman's Louisiana Jubilee Singers. See Louisiana Jubilee Singers (Coleman)
Crescent City Jubilee Singers, 1878?–1883?
Donavin's Tennesseans, 1873–1884.
Duncan's Old Dominion Slave Troupe. See Old Dominion Slave Troupe
Eastern Star Jubilee Singers, 1889?–1895?
Excelsior Jubilee Singers, 1885
Fisk Jubilee Singers (White), 1879–1882
Fisk Jubilee Singers (Loudin), 1882–1903
Fisk Jubilee Singers (Mumford), 1882–19––?
Fisk Jubilee Singers (Jennie Jackson DeHart), 1890–1892?
Fisk Jubilee Singers (other), 1890s and beyond
Fisk University Jubilee Singers (original), 1871–1878. See book chapters 2-4.
Freedmen from the First Baptist Church, Richmond, VA, 1873
Gatewood's Jubilee Singers. See Centennial Jubilee Singers
Georgia Jubilee Singers (Slavin), 1876–190-?
Georgie Allen's Colored Jubilee Singers. See book chapter 9.
Giant Jubilee Singers, 1891-1904
Glazier's Jubilee Singers, also known as Glazier's Carolinians, 1883–1885; ca. 1892–1918, 1934
Great Sable Quartet / Slave Troupe, 1877
Hampton Students, 1873-1875 (quartets/quintets thereafter)
Harper's Ferry Jubilee Singers. See Centennial Jubilee Singers
Hartford Jubilee Singers. See Sheppard's (Colored) Jubilee Singers
Hickox Jubilee Colored Singers
Hopkins Colored Troubadours, 1880–1885?
Ideal Colored Company/Troubadours, 1880–ca. 1885
Jenkins Orphanage Jubilee Singers, 1901–1930s
Jubilee Singers of Eckstein-Norton University, 1892
Jubilee Singers of Virginia, 1874–1877?
Jubilee Songsters of Bethlehem, 1893–1895?
Jubilee Songsters of West Chester, PA, 1895
Jubilee Sons of David, 1895–1896
Kentucky Jubilee Singers, ca. 1877–1890s?
Lew Johnson Tennessee Jubilee Singers. See Tennessee Jubilee Singers (Lew Johnson)
Louisiana Choristers. See Louisiana Jubilee Singers (Smith)
Louisiana Jubilee Singers (Coleman), 1877–1878?
Louisiana Jubilee Singers (Smith), 1877?–1878?, also known as Louisiana Choristers
Louisiana Jubilee Singers (various)
Louisiana University Jubilee Singers. See University Singers of New Orleans
Maggie Porter's Original Jubilee Singers. See Fisk Jubilee Singers (Mumford)
Magnolia Jubilee Singers, 1880–1896
Maryland Jubilee Singers, 1877–1889?
Mason's Jubilee Company, early 1900s
Memphis University Students, 1880s
Midland Jubilee Singers, 1904–1932
Morton's Jubilee Singers, 1887–1888?
Nashville Jubilee Singers, 1875
Nashville Students (Thearle), 1880s–ca. 1892)
Nashville Students (Wright), 1888–early 1900s
National Jubilee Singers, 1874
National Sable Quintet of Jubilee Singers. See Virginia Choristers
New Orleans Jubilee Singers, 1873–1877
New Orleans (University) Jubilee Singers. See University Singers of New Orleans
Norfolk Jubilee Singers, 1880s
North Carolina Jubilee Singers, 1870s. See North Carolinians
North Carolina Jubilee Singers, 1893–1930s
O'Banyon Jubilee Singers, 1890s
Old Dominion Slave Troupe, 1876–1879?
Old Original North Carolinians. See North Carolinians
Old South Carolina Jubilee Singers, 1880s–1890s
Olympian Colored Male Quartette, 1880s
Orpheus McAdoo's Jubilee Singers. See Virginia Jubilee Singers (Orpheus McAdoo)
Pennsylvania Jubilee Singers, 1903
Perkins' Virginia and Texas (Consolidated) Jubilee Singers. See Virginia and Texas Jubilee Singers (C. H. Perkins)
Ponce de Leon Quartette, 1890s
Richmond Jubilee Singers, 1876, 1890s
Rossville Jubilee Singers. See Zion Jubilee Singers
Sable Quintette. See Virginia Choristers
Savannah Jubilee Singers, 1881–1884
Shaw Jubilee Singers, 1873–1874
Sheppard's (Colored) Jubilee Singers, 1874–1883?
Singleton's Jubilee Singers, 1885, 1890
Slavin's (Original) Georgia Jubilee Singers. See Georgia Jubilee Singers
Slayton's Jubilee Singers (1881–1885, reorganized 1891–1911)
South Carolina Jubilee Singers, 1877–1900s, see also Carolina Jubilee Singers
Southern Jubilee Singers, 1876–1900s
Stewart-Wilberforce Concert Co., 1881–1890, also known as Stewart Grand Concert Co.
Tennesseans. See Donavin's Tennesseans
Tennessee Jubilee Singers (Lew Johnson), 1876–1884
Tennessee Jubilee Singers (with Sissieretta Jones), 1888–1891
Tennessee Jubilee Singers (various)
Tennessee Warblers (Pugsley Brothers), 1888–1897
Thomas and Tucker Jubilee Singers, (1899?–1900?)
Utica Jubilee Singers, 1903–1930s
Virginia and Texas Jubilee Singers (C. H. Perkins), 1883?–1895?
Virginia Choristers, 1876–1878, also known as (National) Sable Quintet
Virginia Jubilee Singers (Orpheus McAdoo), 1889–1897
Virginia Jubilee Singers (various), 1876–1900
Wayland Seminary Jubilee Singers, 1874–1880s
Western Star Jubilee Singers, 1901–1903?
West Tennessee Colored Jubilee Singers
Whitman's Colored Jubilee Singers / Whitman Sisters Jubilee Singers, 1890s
Wilberforce Concert Company; see also Stewart-Wilberforce Concert Co.
Williams' Jubilee Singers, 1904–1930s
Wilmington Jubilee Singers, 1874–ca. 1880