RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 8, 2024
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the 95th celebration of the Bud Billiken Parade
Body
WHEREAS, on August 10th, the 95th annual Bud Billiken Parade will commence at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Drive and Oakwood Boulevard in Chicago. A summer tradition since 1929, the parade is a celebration of Chicago’s Black youth and a recognition of the contributions of the Black community to the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, often regarded as the second largest parade in the United States and the largest Black parade in the United States, the Bud Billiken Parade continues to embody the vision of its creator, Robert Sengstacke Abbott; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Abbott, the son of former slaves, moved from Georgia to Chicago in 1905. While Mr. Abbott was educated and formally trained as an attorney, he believed that he could serve the Black community better by working in the printing trade. Upon settling in Chicago, Mr. Abbott, who would later be known as the father of Black journalism, founded the Chicago Defender, a weekly newspaper that addressed issues in the Black community; and
WHEREAS, in 1923, Mr. Abbott created the Bud Club, a social club for Black youth to encourage them to read, learn appropriate social behavior, and become active participants in the community. In 1925, Bud the Billiken, a mascot intended to represent a protector of children, was introduced. Subsequent thereto, in 1929, Mr. Abbott held the first Bud Billiken Parade; and
WHEREAS, originally created to recognize the “newsboys”, young boys that sold the Chicago Defender in neighborhoods on the south side of Chicago by singing and dancing to entice customers, the Bud Billiken Parade has grown exponentially. It is estimated that over 300,000 people attend the parade annually and more than 2 million people watch the parade on television; and
WHEREAS, now known as a back-to-school parade, the Bud Billiken Parade includes numerous celebratory activities. Various organizations unite to provide children with school supplies and scholarships while adults are offered assistance with career development and job placement; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago acknowledges the cultural significance of the Bud Billiken Parade and applauds its contribution to the communities of the City of Chicago; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby recognize the 95th celebration of the Bud Billiken Parade; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: August 8, 2024