The 52nd annual Black Cowboy parade kicked off at West Oakland’s DeFremery Park on Saturday.
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The event brought the community together under the theme “Preserving Our Heritage, Inspiring Our Future,” featuring live entertainment, line dancing, youth activities, pony rides, food, local vendors and community resources.
Back in the era of the great Western cattle drives, around the 1860s-1880s, it’s estimated that a full quarter of the cowboys were Black. That legacy of Black droving lives on in the Bay Area with the Oakland Black Cowboy Association, which each year stages a lively parade with colorful attire and dancing horses.
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“Founded in 1976, the Oakland Black Cowboy Association was created to bring the hidden stories of Black cowboys and cowgirls into the spotlight,” the association writes. “These pioneers were more than riders; they were heroes of the frontier. Today, we continue their legacy by celebrating their contributions and sharing their stories with the world.
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