Students from all-male Hales Franciscan High School on the South Side organized an out-of-uniform day so they could wear black to show support for the Jena 6.

The school's principal, Arthur Reliford, told students from the Social Justice and U.S. Government classes to submit a proposal on why and how they wanted to show solidarity. "I wanted to hear a convincing argument from the students on why it was important to demonstrate. I wanted to make sure they understood the magnitude of the incident," Reliford told the Defender.

He was impressed and the request was granted.

The students held a roundtable discussion with the Defender and expressed their outrage about the incident. They said they felt compelled to step up and take whatever action possible to inform others about the racial injustice that has occurred in Jena.

"We were disgraced about what was going on," Dionta Davis, 17, said.

One of the school's student council members was surprised that the information was not as widespread as he imagined.

"Some of our teachers didn't even know what happened. What really disgusts me is that we are hearing about it in the media so long after it happened. We should have found out about it immediately," 17-year-old Pasquail Cook said.

Clayton Wilson, 17, drafted the proposal for all the students to wear black after consulting with the Student Council and other fellow classmates.

"I felt obligated to have us support the Jena 6. This is an all Black high school and we are in that age group. We have to do the right thing and give support," Clayton Wilson, 17, said.

Several miles south of Hales, students from Chicago State University held a rally outside of the campus's library.

Wearing black t-shirts and holding signs that read, "Free Jena 6" and "Grandmas for Jena," about 200 people demanded justice for the six Black teens in the small Louisiana town. Red, black and green ribbons were also sold during the rally. The proceeds will be sent to the Jena 6 Defense Fund.

"Coming up in this day and age, I never thought that I would have to face some of the things my mom faced while growing up. It's just evident of how far we thought we came," Crystal Page, a CSU student told the Defender.

On the West Side, hundreds of residents marched in Lawndale to show support for the Jena students.