O.C. Black History Parade to Return

After two consecutive failed attempts, Orange County’s most populous city will have a parade honoring Black History Month.

Resuming a 12-year tradition, Santa Ana will play host to the Feb. 5 parade kicking off Black History Month.

According to community events supervisor Teresa Morgan, city officials approved a request by the nonprofit M.W.B. Foundation--a community-based group that began raising money in the fall.

“We’re pleased to once again host the Black History Parade in Santa Ana,” Morgan said Monday after meeting with parade organizers.

Up until 1991, the Black History Month parade was a 12-year-old tradition started by the Orange County Black Historical Commission.

But for the past three years, organizers have been forced to cancel their plans because they fell short of the mandatory $25,000 for permit fees and police patrols.

This year, however, a group of dedicated community organizers decided to take matters into their own hands. They formed the nonprofit M.W.B. Foundation, which stands for the three founders’ last names, and hosted several fund-raising events to cover the costs.

So far, more than 40 groups have submitted requests to march in the parade, said Ernesta Wright, one of the organizers. She said there is a Friday deadline for entries.

The parade will run south along Broadway from 15th Street and end near the Santa Ana Stadium.

Organizers said they are expecting more than 5,000 spectators.

Bill Mack, former head of the Prince Hall Masons, which co-sponsored the event in 1991, said fraternity members will walk in the parade behind a vintage Model A Ford.

“It was a tradition. We should not have missed” those two years, he said. “Now hopefully it will be a continuous thing henceforth and forever.”

He expressed concern, however, that parade organizers are “still running behind,” pointing out that no celebrities have been lined up.

In 1991, actor Willard Pugh from “The Color Purple” was the grand marshal. Actors, rap groups and former world heavyweight boxing champion Ken Norton participated in the parade.

James Colquitt, director of the Santa Ana chapter of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, expressed hope that the event would be a success.

He said NAACP members had been asked to donate to the parade, and that they may participate in it.

Organizers are contacting various ethnic groups to organize food booths, gospel, jazz and reggae bands, and a cultural fair at the Santa Ana Civic Center.