DC Black Pride (Washington)

DC Black Pride is widely credited as the first Black pride. It began in 1991 on Banneker Field near Howard University with the theme "Let's All Come Together", and about 800 people came. Its founders, Welmore Cook, Theodore Kirkland and Ernest Hopkins, wanted to keep alive the Memorial Day "Children's Hour" from the ClubHouse, a Black gay club that closed in 1990, and to raise money for HIV/AIDS work. The International Federation of Black Prides grew out of it and became the Center for Black Equity in 2012. The Center still produces the weekend, and it's separate from Capital Pride in June.

The weekend is a series of mostly indoor events rather than a parade. A host hotel holds the opening reception, workshops, Black Trans Pride and a vendor expo. There's a 5K fun run on the Saturday morning, then day parties and brunches, and Pride in the Park at Fort Dupont Park on Memorial Day Monday. Community events are often free; signature parties are ticketed.

The 2026 edition ran May 22 to 25 with the theme "New Black Renaissance". Durand Bernarr headlined the opening reception. CEO Kenya Hutton said some sponsors asked not to be named because of pressure from the Trump administration's anti-DEI stance. Organizer material claims more than 500,000 attend Black Pride events across the weekend. Nobody counts that independently, so we don't list a figure. The 2027 dates hadn't been announced when we checked. It always falls on Memorial Day weekend.