NY lieutenant governor cheers 54th annual African American Day Parade
One of the largest and oldest parades celebrating American Black culture, the African American Day parade, is set to kick off its 54th annual event this weekend in Harlem on Sunday, Sept. 17.
The parade has been operated by the African American Day Parade Inc. (AADP) since 1969, after the original 13 organizers formed the idea the previous year.
The day before the parade, on Saturday, Sept. 16, AADP will also hold a “Get Involved” Community Literacy, Health & Culture celebration for the first time, on the plaza of the State Office Building on 125th Street.
Grand marshals this year include Bevy Smith, TV and radio host, author, and actor; Joy Bivins, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture; Joaquin Dean, founder and CEO of Ruff Ryders Ent; and Ashley Keiko, musician, entrepreneur, and owner of Keiko Studios Music Academy.
A host of other honorary guests are excited to share in the celebration of Black culture, heritage, and legacy, including New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado.
“Just to be able to celebrate the culture—celebrate the legacy of what African Americans have done, both here in New York [and] for the country, [from] the struggle for voting rights [and] equality to dance and style, food, community,” Delgado said. “We’ve been in every war this country has ever fought. I think it’s important to understand our essential nature when it comes to the story of America and what America has become in pursuit of its ideals because of the work of African Americans.”
Delgado said he attended last year’s parade and will proudly march again this Sunday. He said he has seen other Juneteenth events and African American festivals in other counties throughout the state, but none quite as large or significant as the AADP’s.
The AADP was founded in 1968 by the Afro-American Day and United Federation of Black Community Organizations, right after the Civil Rights Act was passed, organizers said.
The first meeting was held at 2315 Seventh Avenue in Harlem, overseen by community leaders such as Livingston Wingate, who served as the first chairperson, and Conrad Peters. They were joined by 11 other community organizers: Jacqueline Peterson, Abdel Krim, Abe Snyder, Cenie J. Williams, Ennis Francis, Joseph Steele, Piankhi Akinbaloye, Bernice Bolar, Adeyemi Oyeilumi, Lloyd Mayo, and Leonard Davis. The original theme for the parade was “Africa’s Gift to America.”
Since the first event, the parade has been held every third Sunday in September along Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. The first grand marshals were Powell himself and activist and Congressmember Shirley Chisholm.
Current AADP chair Yusuf Hasan lamented the passing of the last two founding members this year: Oyeilumi and Snyder, who were in their late 80s, he said. Hasan said the parade is dedicated to their decades of stewardship.
“This is a new era and we want to keep the focus that they laid out back then to where we are today—showcasing the absolute best and brightest of our people, and also commemorating our ancestors on this very, very special day,” said Hasan. “We salute them and thank God for their vision.”
Hasan, who called Snyder his beloved mentor, said he’s honored to continue the tradition well into the future.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
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