Houston’s Historic Single MLK Day Parade for 2026

With just days to go before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Houston is preparing for a historic moment years in the making.
For the first time, the city’s two long-standing MLK Day parades will march as one. On Monday morning, the Black Heritage Society and the MLK Grande Parade will unite for the inaugural MLK Day Unity Parade, signaling a new chapter centered on collaboration and shared purpose.
The parade steps off at 10 a.m. near City Hall, beginning at Lamar and Smith streets and concluding at Dallas and Smith. Organizers say the unified route reflects the broader goal of bringing the community together after decades of hosting separate celebrations.
Leading the procession as grand marshals are Mayor John Whitmire, Houston radio personality and rapper Mad Hatta, and Charles Stamps, chairman and CEO of the MLK Grande Parade Foundation. Their presence underscores the event’s mix of civic leadership, cultural influence, and grassroots organizing.
This year’s theme highlights unity, justice, and inclusion, while also drawing attention to health equity. Organizers have placed a special focus on sickle cell disease awareness, aiming to connect Dr. King’s legacy of justice with present-day public health challenges that continue to affect many families.
The MLK Day Unity Parade is free and open to the public, offering Houstonians an opportunity to honor Dr. King’s life and message together — not in separate lanes, but side by side.
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