Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic

infobox festival
festival_name=Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic
logo=


caption=
location=Chicago, Illinois, United States
years_active= 1929-present
dates= August 9, 2008 (most recent)
genre= Parade
website= http://www.budbillikenparade.comThe 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. 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. [cite web|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=ontv&id=4402494|accessdate=2007-08-14|date=2006|title=ABC 7 Chicago Presents Live Broadcast Of The Bud Billiken Parade|publisher=ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago] 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.cite web|url=http://budbillikenparade.com/index2.htm|accessdate=2007-07-04|date=2007|publisher=Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.|title=Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic] 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 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.

History

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.Cite web|url=http://www.8thinfantry.org/billiken.html|accessdate=2007-07-04|title=Bud Billiken Parade|publisher=8th Infantry Illinois National Guard Association|date=] During the Great Depression, the Bud Billiken character served as a symbol of pride, happiness and hope for black residents.Cite web|url=http://www.jessejacksonjr.org/issues/i0812025939.html|accessdate=2007-07-04|title=What's In A Name? More Than A Parade|author=Pierre, Robert E.|publisher=Jesse Jackson, Jr. for Congress|work=The Washington Post|date=2002-08-12] The character gained prominence in a comic strip and the "Chicago Defender" newspaper.

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. The parade, which began on August 11, 1929,cite web|url=http://budbillikenparade.com/history.htm|accessdate=2007-09-17|date=2007|publisher=Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.|title=Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Parade history)] now includes politicians, beauty queens, celebrities, musical performers, and dozens of marching, tumbling and dancing groups. It has grown from a locally sponsored event to one with major corporate presence and is seen as a signal of the impending end of summer and beginning of the new school year. As such the parade sponsors raise money for college scholarships for local youth.

multiple image
align = right
direction = vertical
header =
header_align = left/right/center
header_background =
footer =
footer_align = left/right/center
footer_background =
width =

---

width1 = 200
caption1 = 1973 Parade float


width2 = 200
caption2 = Miss Black Illinois at 2004 parade

---

width3 = 200
caption3 = The U.S. Navy at the parade in 2007The parade route has varied over the years. The original route was along Michigan Avenue beginning at 31st Street, then turned 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.

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. 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,cite web|url=http://budbillikenparade.com/index2.htm|accessdate=2007-07-04|date=2007|publisher=Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.|title=Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic] including 25 million television viewers and 1.2 million attendees.cite web|url=http://www.budbillikenparade.com/facts.htm|accessdate=2007-07-04|date=2007|publisher=Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.|title=Bud Billiken: 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Parade facts)] The 2006 parade also included 74,000 participants and 160 floats and vehicles.

The 2008 parade was dedicated to comedian Bernie Mac, [cite web|url=http://cbs2chicago.com/local/bernie.mac.dead.2.791473.html|title=Actor And Comedian Bernie Mac Dies At Age 50|last=Le Mignot|first=Suzanne |date=August 9, 2008|publisher=CBS2Chicago|language=English|accessdate=2008-08-10] a native of Chicago, who died an hour before the start of the parade.

Parade

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. [cite web|url=http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_223065911.html|accessdate=2007-08-14|date=2007-08-11|title=Bud Billiken Parade Draws Nearly 1 Million People|publisher=CBS Broadcasting|author=Martinez, Mai, et al.] 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.cite web|url=http://www.topix.net/content/trb/2007/08/bud-billiken-parade-floats-olympic-dreams|accessdate=2007-09-21|date=2007-08-11|title=Bud Billiken parade floats Olympic dreams|publisher=Topix LLC|work=Chicago Tribune|author= Kishter, Lindsay] The parade has categorized contests for participants such as best float, and best marching band. [cite web|url=http://budbillikenparade.com/bestof.htm|title=Bud Billiken 78th Annual Parade and Picnic (Best of Parade)|accessdate=2007-09-24|publisher=Chicago Defender Charities, Inc.]

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 convert|2|mi|km. This route takes the parade through the Grand Boulevard and Washington Park community areas.

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.cite web|url=http://www.uchospitals.edu/programs/community/sponsorships/billiken.html|accessdate=2007-09-17|date=2007|title=Bud Billiken Parade|publisher=University of Chicago Medical Center] The post-parade festivities often include a concert. The 2003 parade featured B2K. 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. [cite web|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=434231|title=Concert chaos raises questions of crowd safety|accessdate=2007-09-17|date=2003-08-11|publisher=ABC Inc., WLS-TV Chicago|author=Hope, Leah] The 2006 parade featured Yung Joc, [cite web|url=http://www.unratedmagazine.com/Document.cfm?Page=Articles/index.cfm&Article_ID=391|accessdate=2007-09-17|date=2007|title=77th Annual Bud Billiken Parade|publisher=UnRated] and the 2007 parade featured Pretty Ricky. [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG5ZxhZgO88|title=Tha POPE & Pretty Ricky|accessdate=2007-09-17|publisher=YouTube, LLC] However, it seems neither picnic included a concert.

ee also

* Bud Billiken Club

Notes

External links

* [http://www.budbillikenparade.com Official introductory video]
* [http://budbillikenparade.com/index2.htm Official site]
* [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/175.html Encyclopedia of Chicago entry]