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Photos: LA Celebrates 38th Annual Kingdom Day Parade To Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

Samanta Helou Hernandez
Published Jan 16, 2023 11:18 AM
A marching band wearing red and blue suits with white hats play the drums as they march by.
The LAUSD band performs at the 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2023.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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The Kingdom Day Parade was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 3-mile parade kicked off at 10 a.m. Monday starting on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Western Avenue, finishing at the Leimert Park subway station.

This year's theme is "Making America the Last Best Hope of the World." The parade — and the day — are meant to celebrate the life and legacy of the famed civil rights leader.

And celebrate, Los Angeles did. Below is a recap, in pictures.
A group of mostly young women wearing blue skirts and shirts with red sashes and bows, march by in a line holding sparkly letters that read "Los Angeles" and "LAUSD Los Angeles Unified School District All District Band."
The LAUSD band.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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Young women wearing blue and red skirts with red sashes that read "Los Angeles." They twirl blue flags and spin as they march through an intersection. The street name appears behind them, hanging from a traffic signal: King Boulevard.
The LAUSD band performs at the 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2023.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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A diverse crowd sits on bleachers, many people hold phones to record the parade in front of them that is out of frame.
Attendees at the 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2023.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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An older Black man wearing a Shriner's velvet hat sits in the back of a black convertible car, while a younger Black man also in a Shriner's hat drives. On the side of the car there's a sign hanging that reads "Egyptian Temple #5 Los Angeles, CA." Behind the car there are various store fronts, including a yellow one that reads "Madame Kotos Boutique."
Members of Egyptian Temple #5.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Mayor Karen Bass wearing a black sweater with the seal of Los Angeles sits in the back of a cream vintage convertible with a sign hanging on the side that reads "Mayor Karen Bass" in white letters. She leans over the car to pose for a photo next to an elderly Black woman who wears a dark gray sweater, white woven beanie, and a white mask.
Mayor Karen Bass stops to take a photo at the 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2023.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A Black woman wearing a light gray sweater stands on a balcony holding her phone out to record with a smile on her face. Next to her, a Black man wearing a gray long sleeve shirt and bright yellow hat places one of his hands near his chest and smiles out in the same direction as the woman.
Residents in South LA watch the 38th annual Kingdom Day Parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 16, 2023.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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Three black men wearing navy blue suits and black hats sit on horses in the middle of the street. Behind them are various store fronts.
Men ride by on horses.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A triptych of vertical photos. On the left there's a the side profile Black woman with long braids and a black t-shirt that looks out at the street towards the left of frame as she holds her phone. In the middle there's a tight photo of various t-shirts commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nipsey Hussle, and Kobe Bryant. They hand on the side of a canopy. On the right there's a photo of an elder Black man with a veteran's hat, a black and gray flannel long sleeve shirt, and glasses who sits on a motorized chair and looks out towards the out of frame parade to the left of frame.
A T-shirt stand and attendees.
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A man wearing a Mexican charro suit and hat sits on a dark brown horse in the middle of the street. His head is tilted down as he grabs his hat with his right hand.
A charro on horseback.
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Two Black girls wearing matching red sweatsuits, sit on the curb with reusable bottles of water. They face the street as Sheriff's deputies on horses pass by in the street. Behind them on the opposite side of the street there are crowds watching the parade from the sidewalk.
Two children sit on the curb as Sheriff's deputies pass by.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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Three people stand facing the street as they watch a cheer team in dark blue uniform perform a dance.
A crowd watches as the Frederick K.C. Price III Schools Marching Knights perform.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A diptych of two vertical photos set against a background of a photo of blue balloons. On the left there's a portrait of a Black woman wearing a dark blue dress, a crown, and a sash that reads "Queen Kingdom Day 2023." She smiles a the camera as the wind blows her curly hair towards the side. On the right there's a photo of members of a marching band drumming while wearing light blue and dark blue band uniforms.
Jahema Bent, the 2023 Kingdom Day Queen, and the Compton High School marching band.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A Black woman wearing a black long sleeve shirt with the face of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the words "Martin" in yellow "Luther" in blue "King" in red and "Jr" in yellow stands next to a Black man wearing a gray shirt over a black long sleeve shirt, black hat, and glasses. They both hold their phones out recording the parade on the street.
Attendees record the parade participants.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A triptych of three vertical photos. On the left a person sands in the middle of the street wearing a black jumpsuit with colorful lettering and a large mask of a jester-like clown. In the middle two young Black men wear black sweat pants that read the "The League" in blue and yellow letters, respectively. The man on the left has a black cowboy hat on. The man on the right wears a bandana around his head. They stand next to each other in the street posing for the camera. On the right there's a photo of a Black woman wearing black sweats, green and white Air Force One's, and a bandana wrapped around her head. She's dancing on the hood of a colorful truck. You can see a stop light above her.
Members of Roc'co and The League of Clowns.
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A little Black girl wearing a bright pink sweatshirt, jeans, and glasses dances in the middle of a circle surrounded by other Black kids and teens who cheer for her many of whom wear dark blue sweatshirts that read "Tommy the Clown" with a print of a clown face in the middle. They're faces are painted with clown make up.
A clowning battle by Tommy the Clown's dance group.
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A diptych of two vertical photos. On the left a man wearing a jump suit with colorful spray painted balloons and the words "Tommy the Clown," a rainbow afro wig, and clown make up stands next to a colorful truck with both of his hands out as he smiles. On the right a close up of a jacket with a clown face embroidery and the words "Tommy the Clown." A hand can be seen on the left of frame holding the side of the jacket.
Tommy the Clown, who invented a form of dance called "clowning."
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A gray lowrider car with two people in the front and two people in the back passes by on the street. As the street curves behind them you can see the a group of people holding blue and white letters that spell out "Compton."
A lowrider passes by.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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A diptych made of two vertical photos. The photo on the left is of a Black man in a purple shirt and jeans, hugging a Black child who also wears a purple shirt and jeans. In the foreground at the bottom of the frame, out of focus a small Black child also with a purple shirt looks towards the left of frame with his hand in his mouth. The photo on the right is of a Black man who wears a large black t-shirt over a long sleeve with shirt, baggy grey sweats, and a black durag. He stands next to a Black child who wears matching gray sweats and bright pink sneakers. They look out towards the street. Behind them there's a crowd also watching the parade that is out of frame.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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On the left of frame a Black man holding a child stands facing the street and waving towards a cream vintage car that passes by with the Mayor riding on the back seat. Next to him various Black children standing next to adults also wave towards Mayor Karen Bass. Behind the Mayor a blue street sign hangs at a stop light that reads "King Bl."
Families wave at Mayor Karen Bass as she passes by in a vintage car.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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