John Hope College Prep

John Hope College Prep was opened in 1971 as a middle school. Then in 1997 it became a four year high school. John hope is located in Englewood on the South Side of Chicago and is operated by Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

John Hope College Prep offers students an academically challenging program in a nurturing, personalized learning environment and is known for its beautiful, spacious facility, outdoor fields, modern assembly areas, and competitive swimming pool. Our curriculum emphasizes individual creativity, self-directed learning, and responsible decision-making. We have a nurturing, personalized learning environment supported by our school motto, “Excellence without Excuses.”

The school was named in honor of John Hope who was an important African American educator and race leader of the early 20th century. In 1906 he became the first black President of Morehouse College- the al mater of Martin Luther King Jr. - in Atlanta. In 1929, Hope went to become the first African American President of Atlanta University. While he was the leader, Atlanta University became the first college in the nation to focus exclusively on graduate education for African American students. As a race leader, Hope was steadfast in his support of public education, adequate housing, health care, job opportunities, and recreational facilities for blacks in Atlanta and across the nation. He also supported full civil rights in the South during an era when African Americans were expected to accommodate a system of inequality.

.