The Annie Malone May Day Parade will again be live with lots of color when it returns to its downtown route on Market Street at 1 p.m. Sunday May 15, 2022.
Nike has announced it is donating $25,000, making it the parade’s Platinum Title Sponsor. Midwest BankCentre is also a sponsor.
This year’s theme is “The New Annie Malone: Making a Stronger and Larger Impact in the Community.” BJ the DJ of iHeartRadio and Mizzou recruit Luther Burden III will serve as the Honorary Marshals for the parade.
“We are excited to host this year’s May Day Parade festivities in person. The May Day events are crucial in helping us to raise vital funds for programs and services for our youth,” Keisha Lee, Annie Malone interim CEO said in a press release.
“The wonderful support from the community has allowed us to leave a lasting impact on so many families, even during the pandemic.”
Th COVID-19 pandemic led to cancellation of the parade in 2020, and it was held as a virtual event in 2021.
New in 2022 will be the first Friends of Annie Malone Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2022, at VUE 17, 1034 Brentwood Boulevard in Richmond Heights. The weekend of events also includes a Greek Night of Celebration at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 14 at the Kappa House, 500 N. Vandeventer in Midtown St. Louis.
“We are very grateful to NIKE for their contribution towards helping the children and families of Annie Malone,” Lee said.
During its 134-year history, Annie Malone has provided culturally diverse, rapid response assessment, crisis intervention, parenting support, and educational services to youth suffering from extreme trauma. In 2021, the agency served more than 500 families during the pandemic.
According to its website, the Annie Malone Children & Family Service Center opened in 1888 as the St. Louis Colored Orphan’s Home. Its first location was 1427 North 12th Street. In 1905, the Home moved to a site on Natural Bridge Avenue. In 1910, the first May Day Parade was held as a “mortgage burning party” to celebrate paying off the building.
The parade has grown to be the second largest African American parade in the country, behind the annual Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago.
A financial gift from Black entrepreneur Annie M. Turnbo Pope Malone, who became one of the wealthiest women in America through her hair care products business, the Home moved to a permanent location in 1922 to 2612 Goode Avenue in the Ville Neighborhood.
As a tribute to Malone, the Home was renamed in 1946 to Annie Malone Children’s Home. In 1986, Goode Avenue was changed to Annie Malone Drive.
Schools, organizations and individuals interested in participating in the Annual Annie Malone May Day Parade festivities can register online at anniemalone.com/parade or contact Annie Malone Children and Family Services office at (314) 531-0120, or email Parade@anniemalone.com.
