It's Jennifer Hudson Day in Chicago

When Jennifer Hudson returned to Chicago since winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her performance in Dreamgirls, she was greeted with a quite an honor: her own day in her own hometown.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside Chicago Theater Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the women who was booted off American Idol but triumphed to a starring role in a hit movie. Hudson was presented with a plaque by Mayor Richard Daley. Last week he declared Feb. 26 as Jennifer Hudson day.

Earlier on Tuesday Hudson visited her alma mater, Dunbar Vocational Career Academy. She set her Academy Award on the podium and told the thousands of students who packed into the school's auditorium, "If you can see it, you can achieve it. Don't let anybody tell you what you can or cannot do."

Hudson has also won an NAACP Image award, a Screen Actor's Guild award and is on the cover of Vogue's annual "power issue."