East 35th to 55th Streets on South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Bronzeville
Grand Boulevard
Washington Park
Chicago, Illinois
Country
United States
Years active
1929 (1929)–present[1][2]
Inaugurated
August 11, 1929; 94 years ago (1929-08-11)[3][4]
Founder
Robert Sengstacke Abbott (founder)
Most recent
August 12, 2023
Next event
August 10, 2024
Website
budbillikenparade.org
The Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic (also known as The Bud Billiken Day Parade) is an annual parade held since 1929[5] in Chicago, Illinois. The Bud Billiken Day Parade is the largest African-American parade in the United States. Held annually on the city's south side on the second Saturday in August,[6][7] the parade route travels on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive through the Bronzeville and Washington Park[8] neighborhoods. At the end of the parade, in the historic Washington public park is a picnic and festival. Robert S. Abbott, the founder and publisher of the Chicago Defender newspaper, created the fictional character of Bud Billiken, which he featured in a youth advice column in his paper. David Kellum, co-founder of the newspaper sponsored Bud Billiken Club and longtime parade coordinator[9][3] suggested the parade as a celebration of African-American life.
Since its beginning, the parade has featured celebrities, politicians, businessmen, civic organizations and youth. It is considered the second largest parade in the United States,[10][11][12][13][14] whose focus is on celebrating youth, education, and African-American life. The parade is also cited as the "back-to-school" celebration, marking the end of summer vacation and resuming of school for Chicago's youth.[15][16][17]
^Chicago Tribune (August 11, 2017). "Bud Billiken Parade 2017 - If you go..." Chicago Tribune.
^Encyclopedia of African American Society, Volume 1 - Bud Billiken Day Parade - By Gerald D. Jaynes
^ ab"Bud Billiken Parade History: How It All Got Started". Chicago Defender. August 5, 2008. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^Cite error: The named reference OffSiteHist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Semmes, C. (April 2, 2006). The Regal Theater and Black Culture. Springer. ISBN 9781403983305.
^Jerald Walker, "Dreams From My Father," Mother Jones, January/February 2009, p. 53
^Cite error: The named reference OffSiteFacts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Bud Billiken Parade Brings Best of Chicago Together". WGN 9 Chicago. WGN. August 12, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"David Kellum, The Legendary "Bud Billiken" died in Rush". UPI. March 21, 1981. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"Broadcast of The Bud Billiken Parade". ABC 7 Chicago. ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"Bud Billiken Pulls The Crowd". Chicago Defender. August 9, 2015. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"ABC 7 Chicago Presents Live Broadcast Of The Bud Billiken Parade". ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago. 2006. Retrieved August 14, 2007.
^"Bud Billiken Parade". City of Chicago. 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"Historic Events/Bud Billiken Parade". Aaregistry. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^"The Bud Billiken Parade was a joyous back-to-school celebration". TimeOut. August 13, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^"Billiken Parade Celebrates Youth, Education". ABC 7 Chicago. August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^Scott, Eugene F. "From the Colonel". Bud Billiken Parade. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
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