Palm Springs Celebrates Black History Month With Annual Parade And Town Fair

The Annual Palm Springs Black History Parade and Town Fair took place earlier this morning in Downtown Palm Springs, in celebration of Black History Month. After it was postponed on Saturday due to rainy weather conditions, festivities were at an all time high today as hundreds of community members filled the streets. This year was the parade’s 36th year in Palm Springs, with multiple people out to celebrate Black History Month with a parade put on by the Palm Springs Black History Committee. "I’m just celebrating my culture, just reflecting on Black history, because it’s American history." says Angela Young, a Palm Springs resident. Several people were out in Downtown Palm Springs celebrating. The parade was made up of several different groups and organizations, each bringing something meaningful to the table. With members of the crowd there to discuss the true meaning for celebrating. "It’s important because American history is no different than any other history. So it’s important to know what happened in this country." Young says. Others had similar viewpoints. "It’s always good to celebrate any kind of history, especially Black history, but to keep the memories and things going from what your ancestors and others have done to get you to where you are today, it’s always good to celebrate." says Elliott Darden, another Palm Springs resident. While there were dozens of organizations walking in the parade, including NBC Palm Springs, many stuck out to the viewers. "I think the biggest thing I learned is the Section 14 float and the information that came by. It made me want to go back and look and see more about Section 14." Darden says. Many of these organizations come from out of town, to help celebrate and share their talent, like Celeaste Harris, the team director for the Black Diamond Drill Team and Drum Squad, who brought her team to the Coachella Valley, from Los Angeles. "It’s just the history, the history we have so much to give, to say to the youth… now to learn what our history is about. It’s very important that Black History should be not just a month it should be a whole year for us to learn because we did so much in the past that we need to bring it to the future." says Harris.