This year’s Black History Parade brought double the festivities as children at both campuses took part in this beloved annual tradition.
Our first parade took place in the hallways of our Newport News campus. Dressed as notable figures in Black history, our preschoolers proudly paraded to the lively beat of drums played by students from Christopher Newport University. Families, staff, and Peake supporters lined the hallways, cheering and waving streamers as the children walked by in their costumes.
A week later, the celebration continued at our Hampton campus with a virtual twist. Children donned their historic costumes and paraded past two of our teachers who acted as parade commentators, providing lively banter and pointing out famous figures. The event was broadcast live on Facebook, reaching more than 1,000 viewers and generating enthusiastic feedback from family members and supporters who tuned in to celebrate with us from near and far.
Across both parades, children represented a range of influential figures including Jackie Robinson, Barack and Michelle Obama, Ruby Bridges, and even Mary Peake, the educator and community leader who inspired our organization’s name.
The Black History Parade is part of Peake’s ongoing calendar of community engagement events, which rotate between in-person and virtual celebrations across our Hampton and Newport News campuses. These gatherings allow families, supporters, and the broader community to connect with our students and share in their learning experiences.
We hope you’ll join us for our next parade event, virtually or in-person, when our children dress up as their favorite literary characters for the Storybook Parade this October.
