Before becoming the namesake of one of St. Louis’ most storied parades, Annie Malone made a fortune in the early 20th century by developing hair care and beauty products for African-American women. In 1922, she donated $10,000 to the St. Louis Colored Orphans Home, now the Annie Malone Children & Family Service Center, which runs the Annie Malone May Day Parade and Festival, held downtown, this year on May 21.
107: Consecutive years for the parade (making it, organizers say, the nation’s longest-running African-American parade)
20: Approximate number of participating marching bands and drumlines, along with more than 30 dance groups
2: The second-largest African-American parade, behind Chicago’s Bud Billiken Parade
1: Length of the 2017 parade in miles
