The Black Awakening Choir was founded at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1970. The choir was envisioned by two students, Anesta Highsmith-Younger and Faye Smith. The two women believed that they should start the gospel choir as a spiritual outlet for college students. At its first rehearsal, there were 15 people with Younger providing the music and Smith serving as the director. The choir faced many obstacles in the beginning, such as not always having a place to practice and receiving very little support from the university.

Unfortunately, the choir was already disbanded when Charles Smith came to VCU. Smith had a strong love for music and decided that he would restart the choir with 10 members, a piano player, and a drummer. He revamped the structure with an executive board that included choir officers and a business manager. Due to his dedication and determination to the choir it became known as a VCU student organization and the group was able to travel the entire East Coast selling the group's first album.

After Smith there were many other directors, including Wanda Gaines, Rev. Shirley Stanley, Michael Flannigan, Howard Hope, Raymond Lindsey, Eric Taylor, Robert Wilson, Antonio Worrell, and Donald Fonville. Fonville served the longest term as director from 1982 through 1997.