Students at Allen Elementary celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, during a morning assembly Friday with a program put on by the school’s fifth graders.

Fifth grade students at Allen Elementary perform during the school's MLK celebration

Andrew Turner | Contributor

During the program, students sang various African-American spirituals and freedom songs. Between the songs many of the students recited portions of speeches or writings that represented King's views.

“It’s important to teach them about who he was and why he’s still important to them,” said Kimberly Coulson-Mobley, the school's music teacher and director of the performance.

At the beginning of the program, students watched video of a speech on King given by Trinity Higgins, a Wisconsin elementary school student who recently won the City of Milwaukee’s MLK speech contest for her division.

The students sang six songs during the program, including “We Shall Overcome” and “One Nation” by Teresa Jennings. The latter song ended the program as the students finished by shouting, “One Nation,” in unison.

Principal Joan Fitzgibbon said she wanted the students to understand that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than an excuse to take a day off school.

“It’s a chance to remember his dream and what he stood for,” Fitzgibbon said. Quoting Trinity Higgins, Fitzgibbon said: “If we all do a little, a lot can get done.”

Andrew Turner is an intern for the Community Team at AnnArbor.com. Contact the staff at community@annarbor.com.