by Harlemista
I have the pleasure of experiencing the incredible African American Day Parade (the largest Black Parade in America) outside my window on Adam Clayton Powell, Jr Blvd every September. Since 1969 this Parade has been– and still is –a kinetic feast for the senses. It’s color, sound, movement, scent and spirit. It brings together young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, nerdy and cool, drums and horns, black , white, yellow, red — heck, even purple, royal blue and silver. It puts pride and dignity in everyone’s heart and a smile on everyone’s face.
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The African American Day parade was a disgrace.The only word to truthfully describe the parade is ‘[chintzy’. It is amazing that with all the money that African Americans have available and with a full year of planning, THIS parade was the best we could put on. Where were the multitudes of colorful floats, the various school or organization musical bands, where were the colorful exciting costumes? Basically they did not exist in this parade and this is exactly how this parade has appeared for years. It is an absolute disgrace. I thank God that this parade was not held on Fifth Avenue as it was sad spectacle of something that should have been exciting and beautiful. It was not.