Walking Tall in the Black History Parade : Ethnicity: Widely scattered Orange County blacks gather at 11th annual celebration to cheer race’s accomplishments.

As drill team girls stamped their tasseled boots to the pounding rhythm of a Compton drum squad, Toni Jackson hooted her approval at the jumping, twirling, clapping, red-and-white-skirted marchers.

“Get down! All right!” she shouted and waved her arms amid a throng of cheering spectators lined along Main Street Saturday for the 11th annual Black History Parade.

“All this shows that not all blacks are in gangs or homeless,” said Jackson, 45, of West Covina. “We’re making something of ourselves.”

The Black History Parade commemorates the contributions of American blacks and the progress that blacks have made. The street procession and a Unity Festival afterward is one of the few celebrations for black pride countywide.

Police estimated that 2,000 turned out for the marching bands, rifle-twirling Junior ROTC cadets and convertible-riding black celebrities.

A robed gospel choir, seated on hay bales on the back of a 50-foot truck, sang their way to first place in the float awards. Motley-haired clowns in fluorescent garb bicycled in circles. Sequined and feathered cheerleading squads danced and cartwheeled to the thumping rhythms of drum teams and blaring portable stereos.

With few other large activities locally to attend together, blacks scattered thinly all over Orange County rarely have a moment to reflect collectively on their common heritage, many said.

“I want to show that I’m proud of my people,” said Diedra Barber, 16, of Tustin. “We can do more than play basketball and football. It’s nice to see other black people from Orange County active in the community.”

Many parents said they brought their children not only because youngsters like parades, but because they believed the kids would take pride in their race’s culture and see role models. They said they hoped their children would learn of the contributions of black Americans that often are glossed over in school history classes.

“I’m hoping to give the kids in the black ghetto hope that you can come out of the ghetto, that dope dealing is not the only thing,” said Roy Fegan, 29, who acted in director Robert Townsend’s movie “Partners in Crime,” and who rode in the parade.

Parade Grand Marshal Robin Harris, who was featured in three Spike Lee movies, including “Do The Right Thing,” yelled jovially at children on the curb from his green convertible.