2026 Parade

2026 Theme

“A Bridge Over Troubled Water”
Our 2025–2026 theme honors the transition from struggle to hope, emphasizing how the Emancipation Proclamation formed a bridge to freedom. It also invites us to reflect on our roles today in shaping a more just future for America and beyond.

Watch Night Service

December 31, 2025—Watch Night Service
From 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, at Morris Brown A.M.E. Church, in partnership with the Gullah Geechee Corridor, we will observe a traditional Watch Night vigil. This service recalls the night when our ancestors awaited the proclamation of freedom, bridging that legacy with our present.

January 2026 Parade

The parade assembled on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at Burke High School and disbanded at Liberty Square.  We are asking everyone, descendants and friends, to help us make this day a grand celebration.  Let us highlight our rich African heritage with pride. We captured the moment to tell the story of once conflict and now citizenship as we reflected on our past and created our future.

In 2026, we continued our partnership with the International African American Museum (IAAM) by offering complimentary entrance to the museum from 10AM to 4PM on January 1st. We had two one-hour programs: the first at 1 p.m. and the second at 2:30 p.m. Registration was not required for the presentation(s) in the Center for Family History, but seating was first-come, first-served based on room capacity.

Grand Marshals

For 2026, we are glad to have two powerful and important individuals in our community as our Grand Marshals.  

Meet Dr. Thaddeus John Bell — a trailblazing family physician and founder of Closing the Gap in Health Care, a nonprofit dedicated to making health make sense in our communities. A MUSC graduate and former military flight surgeon, Dr. Bell has spent decades championing health equity and education across South Carolina.

Meet Cynthia Alston Bell – a powerhouse in radio and digital marketing, known for crafting high-impact campaigns that blend community, creativity, and culture. She is a passionate advocate for community uplift, using her over 30 years of marketing expertise to empower nonprofits across South Carolina.