Every year, the Los Angeles County African American Employees Association (LACAAEA) walks/participates in the Kingdom Day Parade. This year, we would like to extend the opportunity to walk/participate to the other employee associations. Here’s what you should know about the parade:
The Theme & Focus for 2025 is: “Peace & Unity, Let It Start With Us!” Per the organizers, they are ever more intent on keeping the focus of their mission of pursuing continued growth of the Parade for our Community to enjoy. The Executive Planning Committee & Team of Committed Volunteers work tirelessly to bring together the many elements & details required to facilitate the effort of the KDP to continue honoring and celebrating the life of Dr. King, and all that he stood and sacrificed for, in order for us to lead peaceful, productive, and equitable lives.
The Parade has become a Family & Community Tradition over the years and for the past fourteen of those years, the Parade has been broadcast live on Disney/ABC 7; reaching a combined audience of over 2.4 million viewers & spectators; along with the Post-Parade Festival, and other associated ancillary activities making it, by now, the biggest annual public celebration of Dr. King’s birthday in all of America.
LACAAEA will file one application for all association to participate Sunday, January 19, 2025. Many are inquiring; "Why the switch to Sunday?" According to the parade organizers the Parade’s date change is due to the Presidential Inauguration Day (Monday, January 20th) having fallen on the MLK Holiday.
ABOUT THE MLK KINGDOM DAY PARADE:
The KINGDOM DAY PARADE originated in 1983 by the late Larry Grant as a small Logan Heights Neighborhood tribute to the life, work, dream, and determined spirit of Dr. King. In 1987, Grant relocated it to LA where he was joined by businessman General Celeste King, III, and the California Congress of Racial Equality, and the Parade was relaunched on the streets of South Central LA at about the same time that another moral leader of America, the legendary, Stevie Wonder, was culminating his successful national campaign with a (6.000,000 Names Petition) that resulted in Dr. King’s birthday becoming a National Holiday in 1983.
Supporters have nurtured this Parade’s evolution into the iconic event it has become as of today. The Parade in LA still moves through the same inner-city streets from Western Ave. along MLK Blvd. where it began, to Crenshaw Blvd and ending with a Festival in Leimert Park at Crenshaw & Vernon. (Map is attached).
Please note this is a family friendly event, children are welcomed to walk with their parents/guardians.
