My Country, 'Tis of Thee - Mahalia Jackson

My country, 'tis of Thee

Sweet land of liberty

Of thee I sing

Land where my fathers died

Land of the pilgrims' pride

From every mountain side

Let freedom ring

My native country, thee

Land of the noble free

Thy name I love

I love thy rocks and rills

Thy woods and templed hills

My heart with rapture thrills

Like that above

Let music swell the breeze

And ring from all the trees

Sweet freedom’s song

Let mortal tongues awake

Let all that breathe partake

Let rocks their silence break

The sound prolong

Our fathers' God to Thee

Author of liberty

To thee we sing

Long may our land be bright

With freedom’s holy light

Protect us by thy might

Great God, our King

Our glorious land today

'Neath education’s sway

Soars upward still

It’s hills of learning fair

Whose bounties all may share

Behold them everywhere

On vale and hill

Thy safeguard, liberty

The school shall ever be

Our nation’s pride

No tyrant hand shall smite

While with encircling might

All here are taught the right

With truth allied

Beneath Heaven’s gracious will

The stars of progress still

Our course do sway

In unity sublime

To broader heights we climb

Triumphant over time

God speeds our way

Grand birthright of our sires

Our altars and our fires

Keep we still pure

Our starry flag unfurled

The hope of all the world

In peace and light impearled

God hold secure