City’s 38th Annual Black History Month Parade unites community in celebration

The Palm Springs Black History Month Committee and the City of Palm Springs welcomed thousands of residents and visitors under sunny skies Saturday for the 38th annual Black History Month Parade and Town Fair. The event celebrated Black history and joy while highlighting its role in strengthening community bonds and cultural understanding.

With more than 50 parade entries, downtown Palm Springs transformed into a vibrant display of African American culture and achievement. This year’s theme, “African Americans and Labor,” honored the contributions of Black workers throughout history.

“Black history is American history,” said Jarvis Crawford, president of the Palm Springs Black History Committee and parade organizer and co-announcer. “We want to share our culture with the community, and we encourage all cultures to share their culture, so that people won’t be ignorant and know more about who they are.”

Crawford emphasized that, while this is the Black History Parade, it ultimately celebrates all cultures, encouraging unity and mutual support.

“It’s important because we gotta show that we’re a united front,” Crawford said. “If we’re not showing diversity in the things that we do in society, and we only show it from one view, then that’s not showing that we are unified.

“So that’s why it’s important to ask any and everyone to participate, no matter your race, creed, color, your sexual orientation, your background—just come on out and be a part of a great event.”

Grand Marshals Eternity Hickman, Miss Black USA Talented Teen, and Josephine Hoskins, Miss Arizona High School America, led a diverse procession featuring marching bands, drill teams, dance teams, and cheerleading squads from local schools.

The parade also included notable groups such as the Palm Springs Section 14 survivors, Brothers of the Desert, Negro Academic Scholarship Fund, the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, Black and Hispanic cowboys from the Bar H Riders, and the Tuskegee Airman Buford Johnson Chapter.

For Crawford, who once received a scholarship from the Negro Academic Scholarship Fund and grew up watching the parade, organizing the event holds deep personal meaning.

“Now, with being an organizer, it’s a little bit more work, but I see that the work is worth it because my forefathers did it so that way I can come out and now be able to lead the charge,” he said. 

His wife and co-announcer, Reshae Crawford, shares his passion for the event.

“This is actually one of my favorite days of the year because it brings us all out,” she said. “It’s just a time of relaxation, a time of enjoyment with the community — not just Black people, but everyone is here.”

The event’s multi-generational impact was evident in attendees like Deacon Ruben Harrell of Ajalon Missionary Baptist Church, who proudly wore a colorful “I Am Black History” shirt. Harrell has attended all 38 parades.

“It’s a great opportunity for everybody to share each culture because our cultures mean something,” Harrell said.

James Darling and his wife Gloria continued their tradition of annual attendance by bringing their 5-year-old granddaughter, Treasure, to her first parade.

“We try to come every year to support the community and see the historic Palm Springs and the people that were here in the ’50s and ’60s and went through so much,” Darling said.

Following the parade, the Town Fair in Downtown Park, near the Palm Springs Art Museum, continued the celebration with food vendors, local organizations, live music, and performances from noon to 6 p.m.

Among the performers was Double Dutch Therapy, a group of Black women over 39 who travel from Riverside, Los Angeles, and San Diego to showcase jump rope and dance routines.

“It’s beautiful — experiencing this, to be welcomed here and to be enjoyed by you all,” said group member Trice Brown.

Even first-time visitors found themselves immersed in the celebration.

Steven Madrigal, visiting from Orange County, stumbled upon the parade by chance.

“We’re just amazed at how wonderfully diverse it is. You can see everybody in here — the African American population, Hispanic people, gay people, veterans,” he said. “It brings me so much joy, especially with all of the depressing news lately. It’s a reminder that life really exists, that people are still beautiful, and that people still come together.”

The event not only celebrates Black culture but also honors Black History Month, which originated from Negro History Week, launched by Carter G. Woodson in the 1920s.

Now internationally recognized, the month commemorates the progress and achievements of African Americans.

Regina Robinson, 68, a regular attendee, summed up the spirit of the event: “It’s full of love, joy. It makes you forget about whatever you were going through the past couple of days. And the sunshine of Palm Springs is everything.”

The Palm Springs Black History Committee continues its mission beyond February, organizing events throughout the year to celebrate and educate the community about Black history and culture while maintaining its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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