CPS Remembers Dr. King and Celebrates Our New President

This week, CPS celebrated two very special occasions: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the Inauguration of Barack Obama.

On Friday, the entire school gathered to listen to the words of Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech and share with the group what they had learned about the famous civil rights activist in class. Each class learned about Dr. King through different activities. The pre-kindergarteners learned that Dr. King won a special prize for delivering messages of peace called the Nobel Peace Prize. Then, they designed their very own Nobel Peace medals, decorating them with images of peace, like people sharing or hugging.

The first grade class learned about how Dr. King emulated CPS's core values of compassion, courage, and curiosity. They especially learned about his courage to dream about and work toward a peaceful future, where people of all different races can come together. Each student memorized a different sentence from his "I Have a Dream" speech, and took turns reciting it for the school. They also talked about what dreams they had for the future. One first grader's dream was "no more fighting."

The first grade recites Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

With Dr. King's message still fresh in their minds, CPS celebrated the Inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States. The students gathered together to celebrate the occasion. Earlier this year, the third grade held their own class-wide election. Just as President Obama would do later in the day, Nashay, the winner of the election, took her own Presidential oath as she was officially sworn into her office. She then explained to the school what it means to take an oath.

Afterwards, the whole school sang James Weldon Johnson's "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" (aka "The Black National Anthem) to commemorate the historic occasion.

CPS celebrates the Inauguration of Barack Obama and sings "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing."

"Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" Lyrics

Lift ev'ry voice and sing,
Till earth and heaven ring.
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise,
High as the list'ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might,
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee,
Shadowed beneath thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.