On May 18, St. Louis residents turned out by the thousands to celebrate the Annie Malone Parade.
Although downtown traffic was heavy because of a Cardinals ball game, parade spectators were not deterred, and made the journey to the parade route.
The parade, which is 100 years old, started from 20th Street and Market and wound up on Broadway. It honors Annie Malone, who founded Poro College, as well as the home that uses her name today. It is one of the oldest African-American parades in the country.
One marcher, Karen Wood, has taken part in the event for over two decades, and expressed delight that it continues to thrive. She describes Annie Malone as a “valuable pillar in the St. Louis community”, who has given back to those in need in the area.
The parade is a fundraiser for the Children and Family Service Center, which is often called the Annie Malone Children's Home. It first went into operation in 1888, and has since become an agency that provides a number of services to children, as well as to families in crisis, throughout the St. Louis area.
Parade organizers could work with professional brochure printers to create a mailer for the community, reminding them of the purpose of the parade and encouraging them to support the historic center.
