MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Committee announced Tuesday that they are reversing their decision to exclude the West Michigan branch of the NAACP from the parade.
The initial decision to ban the NAACP was made unanimously by the volunteer committee on the basis that the NAACP was a political organization and political organizations were not allowed in the parade.
West Michigan NAACP branch President and Ward 1 City Commissioner, Eric Hood, denied that his organization is political.
"We have several veterans who are in the branch," said Hood. "We represent veterans in terms of their rights. We're a civil rights organization and we fight for the civil rights for all."
On Tuesday, the Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Committee held an unscheduled meeting to discuss allowing the NAACP march in the parade.
Steve Allen, the Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Committee Chairman, provided the following statement after the meeting:
After much discussion it has been decided that in the interest of the community, we should reverse our decision and are allowing the NAACP to participate in the 2023 Memorial Day Parade.
It is our hope that this will promote citizenship and patriotism for this solemn holiday.
The NAACP will be contacted in the next week to inform them of their position in the parade on 5/29/23.
The Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for May 29 between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. in Twin Lake.
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