We rise on the shoulders of those who stood tall,
Who dreamed while bound, yet shattered the wall.
Chains could not silence, nor whips erase,
The fire of hope they dared to embrace.

Harriet ran, her lantern bright,
Guiding souls through the endless night.
Frederick spoke with fearless grace,
Truth carved in time, no force could erase.

The past echoes in every stride,
In Dr. King’s march, in Malcolm’s pride.
In Rosa’s seat, in Fannie’s fight,
In voices that demand what’s right.

And now we stand, the torch in hand,
Building bridges, reclaiming land.
Innovators, leaders, pioneers,
Dreaming beyond the weight of years.

From jazz’s rhythm to hip-hop’s beat,
From poets’ words to athletes’ feats,
From courtroom battles to classroom change,
Black excellence, boundless range.

We honor the hands that tilled the land,
That built this nation, strong and grand.
Yet history tried to hide their names,
But truth breaks free like unchained flames.

Madam C.J., bold and wise,
Turned struggle into enterprise.
The Tuskegee Airmen took to the sky,
Proving no dream was too high.

Maya’s words still lift and sing,
Her voice, a bird on a soaring wing.
John Lewis crossed that bridge with grace,
For justice, he stood, he ran the race.

And still, we rise, we build, we grow,
Planting seeds the world must know.
Black scientists, teachers, and poets create,
Shaping tomorrow, rewriting fate.

The future listens; what shall we say?
That we pressed forward, forged a way.
That we loved, we built, we soared, we knew—
The dream lives on in me, in you.