The Sankofa Chorale hails from Winter Haven, Florida, known as the beautiful city of 100 lakes. The chorale is an outgrowth of the Jewett Alumni Association Choir which was the only high school for African-American youth from 1942 until 1969. Originally, the main objective of the alumni choir was to sing for the annual high school reunion. In 2007, the Alumni Singers decided to present concerts to raise scholarship funds for the Jewett Alumni Association.

​

In October of 2012, Dr. Jessie Owens opened the Dr. J. Owens Academy of Fine Arts, Inc., and the Sankofa Chorale was born. Choral member Elizabeth Birdsong became acquainted with the term Sankofa, from her annual sojourn to the “Motherland,” and submitted Sankofa as the new name for the Chorale. The other members were impressed with the history and meaning of Sankofa and unanimously agreed to adopt the new name.

Our mission statement is derived from the Sankofa bird of the Akan language of Ghana in West Africa, from King Adinkra. The Sankofa symbol depicts a mythical bird which holds an egg symbolizing the future in its beak. The bird moves forward while looking backwards to the past. The symbol is expressed in the Akan language as “Se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki.” Literally translated, this phrase means “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” However, modern translations usually render it as, one must return to the past in order to move forward. In either case, the message of the symbol is that we must learn from the past in order to build a better future. The Sankofa bird encourages African Americans, who now live in a “new” homeland to “go back to our roots’’ in the  Motherland, to learn who we are and gain knowledge and wisdom from our past in order to build a better future. If you don’t understand your past, you will not be equipped to move forward into the future.

The Sankofa Chorale sings various genres of music, e.g., spirituals, gospels, jazz, hymns, and European classics. However, we strategically endeavor to support and embrace the African-American culture as an extension of the African Diaspora. We strive to demonstrate a universal level of excellence through concert performances and singing at various community events. Our membership is composed of individuals of diverse backgrounds and professions. The Sankofa Chorale members have bonded together in unity to share their gifts in song through their love of music.