NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 15: Black Masons prepare to march in the 50th anniversary African American Day Parade on September 15, 2019 in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
HARLEM – The African American Day Parade kicked off in Harlem on Sunday afternoon.
This year’s parade theme is “Good Leaders = Good Government.”
The parade started at 12:30 p.m. and ended at 6 p.m.
The parade ran along Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (7th Avenue), between 11th and 137th Streets.
Senator Cordell Cleare was the Grand Marshall in the parade.
“I am proud to represent the world-famous neighborhood of Harlem which has served as home to the AADP for 55 years,” Cleare said. “I am particularly thrilled that this year, in addition to being the Senator, I will also be representing the AADP as a Grand Marshall. This parade is the embodiment of cultural pride and resilience in the African American community. It represents our victories over adversity and our will to strive, grow, and thrive.”
Attorney General Letitia James, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and City Councilman Yusef Salaam are a few others who attended the parade.
The parade goes back 55 years, all the way to 1969, making it one of the country’s most historic African American parades.
Street closures
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 110th Street and West 114th Street
- West 110th Street – West 115th Street between Frederick Douglass Boulevard and Lenox Avenue
- St. Nicholas Avenue between West 113th Street and West 114th Street
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 111th Street and West 136th Street
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 136th Street and West 142nd Street
- West 135th Street – West 137th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Lenox Avenue
- Lenox Avenue between West 136th Street and West 139th Street
- West 126th Street between Lenox Avenue and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard
- West 125th Street between Lenox Avenue and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard
- Fredrick Douglass Boulevard between West 127th Street and West 128th Street
- Lenox Avenue between West 132nd Street and West 133rd Street
- Lenox Avenue between West 136th Street and West 140th Street
- St. Nicholas Avenue between Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard and West 115th Street
For more information on this year’s parade, click here.
