NSBE Magazine - Fall 2010 - 41

NSBE Pride on Parade

he hometown of NSBE’s founders was the site of a special honor for the 35-yearold organization in August. Chicago Defender Charities, Inc., organizer of the annual Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic in Chicago, Ill., chose three leaders of the National Society of Black Engineers as honorary grand marshals of the parade this year. National Chair Calvin Phelps, Executive Director Carl B. Mack and National Advisory Board Chair Tony Harris represented NSBE at the event. An 81-year tradition in the Windy City on the second Saturday of August, the Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic was started in 1929 by Robert S. Abbott, founder of the Chicago Defender, a famous AfricanAmerican newspaper. Abbott’s effort to bring together and uplift his young paper distributors quickly grew to become what is now the largest back-to-school parade in the U.S. About 1.2 million persons lined the parade route this year, while 82,000 marched in the parade, reports Dr. L. Pettis Patton of Chicago Defender Charities and the Illinois Institute of Technology. Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Muhammad Ali, Lena Horne and President Barack Obama are among the many celebrities who have participated over the years. The theme of the event this year was “Education the American Way.” “When we talk about positively impacting the community, we are talking about NSBE’s involvement with events like the Bud Billiken Parade,” says Chairman Phelps. “The nation’s largest back-to-school parade was created as a way to showcase the importance of academics and excellence for black youth, and as a means of highlighting ‘unity in diversity for the children of

(above, left to right) executive director Carl B. mack, national Chair Calvin phelps and national advisory Board Chair tony harris represented nsBe in august as honorary grand marshals of the 81st annual Bud Billiken parade, in Chicago. (at left) harris, phelps and mack with the rev. Jesse L. Jackson sr. and mack’s sons Jonathan (second from right) and Joshua (front)

Chicago.’ It is only fitting that the National Society of Black Engineers be involved in an event with such a powerful message.” “This was a real homecoming for me,” says Harris, one of NSBE’s founding “Chicago Six.” “One of my earliest memories is attending the Bud Billiken Parade with my mother. (Later) at the age of 10, I marched in the parade as a part of the South Side Drill Team. Being associated with the parade had a real impact on my positive self-image as a young boy.” Says Mack: “My greatest take-away from this event was the look on the faces of black folks in Chicago when they read the banner on the parade car we were riding in, ‘National Society of Black Engineers.’ Then they looked at us, three black men, and the pride on their faces was priceless! I could only imagine how they would have looked at NSBE if we had been 1,000 members strong in the parade. Maybe next year!” ■
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2010 • 41

NSBE Magazine - Fall 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE Magazine - Fall 2010