Lansing - State Rep. Michael Murphy, D-Lansing, watched one of the nation's oldest and largest black parades in Chicago every summer as a child and eventually participated in the parade when he was old enough.
But he said he never imagined creating an event similar to that one for Lansing's community until only a few years ago.
Thousands of people lined the streets Saturday afternoon to watch different community members, from local church congregations to state government officials, march in the fifth annual African American Parade in downtown Lansing.
"This year's parade had more people in it and viewing it than in the past years," Murphy said. "People have been waiting for the event all year, just anticipating a great parade."
Hosted by the Capital City African American Cultural Association, Inc., the event celebrated black culture, with a picnic shortly following the parade. At the end of the parade route, activities and services such as food, a health awareness tent, live entertainment and cultural booths were open to the public.
Murphy's inspiration for the event, Chicago's Bud Billiken Parade, was created 75 years ago.
Toying with his idea for years, Murphy said he decided to ask his colleagues what they thought about holding a black parade in Lansing, during a breakfast with other city officials back in 1999.
"It took a life of its own." Murphy said. "I formed a board and began making plans right away. The first year ended up being very successful."
The event is just one of many cultural festivals set in Lansing, Murphy said.
"It really says a lot about who we are as a city, as a community," he said. "We're diverse, we share in each other's cultures and we grow from it all."
Attending both the parade and the picnic for the first time, 39-year-old Lansing resident Eileen Patterson said she plans to come back with her husband and children next year.
She said despite the fact Lansing's parade got a later start than other black parades in the country, the interest for it to continue definitely exists.
"I think it took awhile because they just wanted to see if there was serious interest within the African-American community to have a parade like this here," Patterson said. "I hope it continues to grow."
Marching in the parade, 15-year-old Lansing resident Joshua Moore said he thinks a lack of minority leadership in the community attributes to the long wait for an event like the African-American Parade to come to fruition.
"It just seems like a lot of Caucasian people are the head of things around here," Moore said.
Linda Sims, police commissioner for the City of Lansing and a founding member of the Capital City African-American Cultural Association Inc., said Lansing's black minority population is growing strong.
"Not all African Americans are in one area (of the city), we're all over and we're developing as a community," Sims said.
