When the 78th Bud Billiken Day Parade passes down King Drive Aug. 11, ABC 7 Chicago will present the historic pageant live, in high definition starting at 10 a.m.
ABC 7 co-hosts Cheryl Burton, Jim Rose, and Bill Campbell will be joined in the broadcast booth by The Color Purple's Felicia Fields.
ABC 7's Karen Jordan will also be a part of the festivities, checking out the action along the parade route. In addition, members of the ABC 7 news team including Linda Yu, Hosea Sanders, Charles Thomas, and Stacey Baca will ride atop the station's colorful float. Beloved Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse will serve as the parade's Grand Marshals.
With more than a million people participating and watching, the Bud Billiken Day Parade is the largest African American parade and the second largest overall moving pageant in the country. Recognized as a day of family fun and celebration, the parade has become an anticipated cultural event in the Chicago area.
The Bud Billiken Day Parade moves down Martin Luther King Drive from 39th Street south into Washington Park and concludes at 55th Street.
ABC 7's broadcast of the Bud Billiken Day Parade is available on-demand at abc7chicago.com.
Johnathan Rodgers, CEO of TV ONE, said the network will air the parade at 3 p.m. Saturday and will have an encore showing of the Bud Billiken Day Parade Sunday at 1 p.m.
Since its inception, individuals and organizations have provided several version concerning Bud Billiken's origin, however, historical facts from the actual pages indicate that Bud Billiken first began as a children's club.
As indicated also by Dr. Marjorie Stewart Joyner in the pages of the Chicago Defender, the parade began when Defender editor founder, Robert S. Abbott, re-ceived many responses from children and youth concerning their interest in the paper.
He brought the correspondence to his managing editor asking how the Chicago Defender could develop the youthful interest. The two editors then decided to establish a children's page that would provide enthusiastic interest for them.
On his desk, the managing editor saw the name 'Billiken' written on a paper weight and coupled that with his nick-name Bud. He learned that Billiken is a Chinese derivative of a god that served as an interest and protection to children. Then the Bud Billiken Club was developed which became a special page in the Chicago Defender.
The response was tremendous. Eventually parties and small parades began in various cities.
In 1929, the Chicago Defender inaugurated a special day and parade that moved down Michigan Avenue at first and then changed to what was then known as South Parkway, now Martin Luther King Dr.
Over the years, Bud Billiken Day developed into one of Chicago's most significant cultural events.
Great entertainers, movie stars and political - as well as important individuals - became involved.
Author and Realtor Dempsey Travis wrote about the Chicago Defender News Boys Band that was organized by Major Nathaniel Clark Smith who developed one of the most tremendous marching units Chicago and other cities had ever witnessed.
Their dynamic marching precision was fabulous and crowds thrilled to their fantastic music. Major Smith developed giants of jazz musicians.
He was one of the significant legendary personalities who was associated with the Chicago Defender and the Bud Billiken Day Parade inspired artistic participants as it developed throughout its 78 years.
AU participants stepped elegantly with pride beneath the brilliant rays of the lustrous sun.
[Author Affiliation]
by Earl Calloway
Defender Staff Writer
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