“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”   Marcus Garvey

Greetings Friends & Supporters:

The African American Heritage Day Parade Organization Inc., (AAHPO) is a 501(C) (3) non profit organization incorporated in the State of New Jersey. Our mandate is to instill a sense of pride and awareness in African American heritage and sense of unity and mutual cooperation among all people the African Diaspora.

The magnanimous cultural extravaganza known as, “The African American Heritage Statewide Parade,” has expanded into an annual four day observance which includes a cultural heritage celebration that attracts hundreds of thousands attendees, and participants from throughout the State of New Jersey, the United States of America, Africa and other countries around the world to a family oriented, safe, nurturing and exciting event.

In 2017, the AAHPO successfully revived the African American Heritage Statewide Parade in the great City of Newark.  The cultural celebration was a blessing to our community! In addition to our stewardship of the Parade and a Family Heritage Festival, we have hosted a plethora of cultural programs and seminars to educate and celebrate our heritage.

Towards that end, we have hosted a forum on Community Policing, and outstanding Black History Month programs on the lives of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Fannie Lou Hamer, an unsung Shero of the Civil Rights Movement. The AAHPO also hosted a King from Nigeria, HRM OBA (Dr) Michael Odunayo Ajayi Elerinmo of Erinmo. The AAHPO had the opportunity to bring King Michael to schools, churches and youth rehabilitation centers throughout our state to talk and lecture students on the importance of culture, history and the continent of Africa.

Ever mindful of our duty to giveback to our community, the dedicated AAHPO Trustees and their families also partnered with Founding Director, Debi Hall-Dean and Partners in ACTS & PACTION Newark Consortium to provide Thanksgiving meals to over 3,000 deserving families. Additionally, over the Thanksgiving Holiday the AAHPO family prepared a feast for families from the AIDS Resource Foundation. Further, we also distributed food baskets during Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

The Theme for this year’s parade is “Passing the Torch! Teach, Support & Encourage!” It is our goal to ensure that this Memorial Day Weekend the African American Heritage Statewide Parade continues to entertain families from the tri-state area in downtown Newark.

We invite you to participate in the Parade as a member of a marching unit, as a volunteer; or as a vendor at the Family Heritage Festival in Weequahic Park.

This is the Peoples Parade and Festival. We invite you to join us at our events and look forward to seeing you, your family and friends at the 2026 Parade & Family Heritage Festival in Weequahic Park!

Don’t Let the Parade Pass You By!

Sincerely,

Charles N. Hall, Jr.

Chairman, AAHPO