Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By John Coleman, Community Photographer
FONTANA, CA- The North Fontana Black Awareness Parade Committee and Concerned Citizens for the Development of North Fontana held their 50th Annual Black History Month Parade and Expo, Saturday, February 24 in a North Fontana shopping center. The celebration this year was on the theme, ‘Our Legacy’, purposely connected to the date February 24, 1968, during the period when the Black People of Fontana were prevented from obtaining housing or residing south of the roadway still known as “Baseline”.
The Parade honors Fontana’s early families who despite racism, segregation and other adverse circumstances opened businesses, raised families and like the Turners, contributed to the growth and welfare of the community. Former longtime resident of North Fontana, Whitman Mayo, became an actor in Hollywood and co-star of the “Sanford & Son” sitcom. He served as Grand Marshall of one of the first North Fontana Black History Parade.
Following the Parade community service organizations, clubs, food vendors and neighbors mingled and filled the streets of the post-parade Expo event.
The Concerned Citizens for the Development of North Fontana meet monthly at 7 p.m. on the 3rd Monday. Currently, they are continuing to ask people to help collect photos, records and/or memories of old North Fontana for the growing History and Archive Project.
