March On, Harlem: African American Day Parade Is This Weekend

HARLEM, NY – There’s a party in Harlem this weekend, and everybody’s invited.

The 57th annual African American Day Parade is on Sunday. The festivities open with a pre-parade show at 11 a.m. on 125th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.

The parade forms on Adam Clayton Powell at West 111th Street, and floats, marchers, and more head north on Adam Clayton Powell toward 137th Street, where the route ends.

This year's theme? "GOOD BUSINESSES SUSTAIN OUR FUTURE."

Grand marshals this year include Arva Rice, Michael Katlow Cox, Hon. Mari Moss, Kathleen Adams and Jahkeen Washington.

The first African American Day Parade was held in 1969, one year after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Grand Marshals that year were the man for whom 7th Avenue was renamed, then-Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress.

Over the years, other Grand Marshals have included Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, and Congressman Charles Rangel, to name a few.

If you attend, expect floats, marching bands, dancing, and a whole lot of celebration.

Here are all the road closures to look out for:

Formation:

• Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 110th Street and West 114th Street
• West 110th Street - West 115th Street between Frederick Douglass Blvd.& Lenox Avenue
• St. Nicholas Avenue between West 113th Street and West 114th Street

Route:

• Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. between West 111th Street & West 136th Street

Dispersal

• Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd between West 136th Street and West 142nd Street
• West 135th -West 137th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd & Lenox Avenue
• Lenox Avenue between West 136th Street and West 139th Street

Miscellaneous:

• West 126th Street between Lenox Avenue and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard
• West 125th Street between Lenox Avenue and Fredrick Douglass Boulevard
• Fredrick Douglass Blvd. 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 Blvd. and West 115th Street

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.