Black history parade planned in Mount Olive
By Steve Herring
Published in News on February 21, 2016 1:45 AM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The Unity organization's eighth annual Black History Parade will be held Saturday, Feb. 27.
The lineup will start at 11:30 a.m. on Henderson Street near the University of Mount Olive and the parade will step off at 1 p.m.
The parade will step off from the parking lot at Roses. The route will follow Breazeale Avenue south to the Carver Cultural Center where it will disband.
Dr. O.R. Stovall III of Goldsboro will be the grand marshal. John Clark, the morning news anchor for ABC 11 Eyewitness News on WTVD Channel 11, will serve as marshal.
"We will be starting the parade out with a ceremony with the Marines from Camp Lejeune," organizer Sheila Oates said. "They will be starting out with the national anthem. Then we have Pastor Timothy Dortch who will do the 'I Have a Dream' speech."
The parade will feature floats, antique cars, Sudan Shriners Mini-Rigs as well as the clown and train unit and bands from Southern Wayne High School, Spring Creek High School, Spring Creek Middle School, Greenwood Middle School and Eastern Wayne High School.
Commercial vendors will be located along the route, she said.
"We will feed all of the bands and ROTC this year," she said.
Danny King's nonprofit A Lot of Direction, Love and Affection Culinary Arts Institute will feed the Marines and elected officials, she said.
It is another way to give back to the community, Ms. Oates said.
"We are excited and hope the weather is cooperative," she said. "March 5 is the rain date. But hopefully we won't have to use that and can celebrate and move forward.
"We want everybody to come out and enjoy and celebrate as one."