Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic

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Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic
Barack Obama float at 2004 parade.
Barack Obama float at 2004 parade.
Location(s) Chicago, Illinois, United States
Years active 1929-present
Date(s) August 11, 2007 (most recent)
Genre Parade
Website http://www.budbillikenparade.com

The Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic is an annual parade in Chicago, Illinois, and the largest African American parade in the United States. Since 1929, it has always been held on the second Saturday in August.[1] The idea for the parade came from Robert S. Abbott, the founder of the Chicago Defender. It is now the second largest annual parade in the United States.[2] The 78th Annual Parade took place on August 11, 2007, and was televised on WLS-TV as well as nationally on WGN-TV in addition to local coverage.[3] In 2008, the second Saturday in August falls on August 9, 2008.

The parade features celebrities, politicians, businessmen, civic organizations and youth. It occurs on the South Side of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States and concludes in Washington Park. National and international celebrities have attended and some have served as the parade's Grand Marshal. The focus of the parade is on the betterment of Chicago youth.

Contents

[edit] History

Willard Motley
Willard Motley

Bud Billiken is a fictional character created in 1923 by Abbott, who had been pondering the possibility of adding a youth section to the newspaper. While dining at a Chinese restaurant he noticed a Billiken, which is said to be the guardian angel of youth. Some of the early Billiken columns were written by Willard Motley, who would later become a prominent African-American novelist. During the early 1930s, names of international youth appeared in the Bud Billiken section of the newspaper every week. Between 1930-34, approximately 10,000 names appeared and were archived in the Carter G. Woodson Regional Library of the Chicago Public Library.[4] During the Great Depression, the Bud Billiken character served as a symbol of pride, happiness and hope for black residents.[5] The character gained prominence in a comic strip and the Chicago Defender newspaper.[5]

Although the character was created in 1923, the parade did not begin until David Kellum initiated it in 1929 as a celebration of the "unity in diversity for the children of Chicago". It has since grown to become a globally televised event—the second largest parade in the nation.[4] The parade, which began on August 11, 1929,[6] was in large part a marketing gimmick to sell more magazines.[5] The parade includes politicians, beauty queens, celebrities, musical performers, and dozens of marching, tumbling and dancing groups.[5] The parade has grown from a locally sponsored event to one with major corporate presence. It is viewed as a reminder to the youth of the impending end of summer and beginning of the school year.[5] As such the parade sponsors raise money for college scholarships for local youth.[5]

Miss Black Illinois at 2004 parade.
Miss Black Illinois at 2004 parade.

The parade route has varied over the years. The original route was along Michigan Boulevard beginning at 31st Street and then turning east into Washington Park. Concern for north-south traffic flow caused rerouting the parade route to South Parkway (now named Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive), which runs directly into the park. At various times, street repairs have necessitated use of the Michigan route, but the primary route is now the King Drive route.[6]

Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll of Amos 'n' Andy fame were the first guests of honor in the original parade. Robert S. Abbott led the first parade in his Rolls Royce. Dr. Marjorie Stewart Joyner, president of the Chicago Defender Charities, Inc., organized the parade for over 50 years. Numerous high-profile celebrities and dignitaries have attended the parade over the years, including U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Michael Jordan, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Duke Ellington, Oprah Winfrey, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway, Paul Robeson and Billie Holiday.[6][5] Recent parades have featured popular musical acts as concert performers at the post-parade picnic. In 2006, approximately 26 million people saw the parade in person or on television,[3] including 25 million television viewers and 1.2 million attendees.[1] The 2006 parade also included 74,000 participants and 160 floats and vehicles.[1]

[edit] Parade

The U.S. Navy at the parade in 2007
The U.S. Navy at the parade in 2007

At the 78th annual parade in 2007, U.S. Senator Barack Obama served as the Grand Marshal for the second year in a row. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley attended, and march participants included U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn and the Rev. Al Sharpton.[7] One float represented the Chicago 2016 Committee and included past Chicago Olympians Bob Pickens, Willie May, Diane Simpson-Bundy and Kenny Johnson as well as the son of Danell Nicholson. The Chicago Bulls mascot even made a guest appearance.[8] The parade has categorized contests for participants such as best float, and best marching band.[9]

It takes place in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, starting near 39th Street and South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive at the southern border of the Douglas community area, south of the landmark Victory Monument. It then continues south to 55th Street at Washington Park. This route covers approximately 2 miles (3.2 km). This route takes the parade through the Grand Boulevard and Washington Park community areas.[10]

[edit] Picnic

The parade commences around 10 A.M. and ends at around 3 P.M. After the parade visitors are welcomed to stay in Washington Park for the picnic. The picnic has various festivities and vendor booths.[10] The post-parade festivities often include a concert. The 2003 parade featured B2K.[6] The concert was free with virtually unlimited space in the park for viewing. However, the crowd became unruly causing the concert to be curtailed. Over 40 attendees were taken to hospitals as a result.[11] The 2006 parade featured Yung Joc,[12] and the 2007 parade featured Pretty Ricky.[8][13] However, it seems neither picnic included a concert.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Parade facts). Chicago Defender Charities, Inc. (2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  2. ^ ABC 7 Chicago Presents Live Broadcast Of The Bud Billiken Parade. ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago (2006). Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  3. ^ a b Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic. Chicago Defender Charities, Inc. (2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  4. ^ a b Bud Billiken Parade. 8th Infantry Illinois National Guard Association. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Pierre, Robert E. (2002-08-12). What's In A Name? More Than A Parade. The Washington Post. Jesse Jackson, Jr. for Congress. Retrieved on 2007-07-04.
  6. ^ a b c d Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Parade history). Chicago Defender Charities, Inc. (2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  7. ^ Martinez, Mai, et al. (2007-08-11). Bud Billiken Parade Draws Nearly 1 Million People. CBS Broadcasting. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  8. ^ a b Kishter, Lindsay (2007-08-11). Bud Billiken parade floats Olympic dreams. Chicago Tribune. Topix LLC. Retrieved on 2007-09-21.
  9. ^ Bud Billiken 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Best of Parade). Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  10. ^ a b Bud Billiken Parade. University of Chicago Medical Center (2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  11. ^ Hope, Leah (2003-08-11). Concert chaos raises questions of crowd safety. ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  12. ^ 77th Annual Bud Billiken Parade. UnRated (2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  13. ^ Tha POPE & Pretty Ricky. YouTube, LLC. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.

[edit] External links