'A Celebration of Unity.' Mayor Whitmire and Faith Leaders Announce 2026 MLK Day Parade Plans

November 13, 2025 -- In a strong show of unity, Mayor John Whitmire joined leaders of Houston's two legacy Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades, the Black Heritage Society, and the MLK Grande Parade, to announce that the City will hold one MLK Day Parade for the first time next year.

The historic MLK Day Unity Parade will take place on Monday, January 19, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. In the words of the organizers, they will unite as one to present a powerful message of peace, purpose, and progress in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy.

The decision to hold one parade was made after Mayor Whitmire's administration approached the organizations led by Teresa Brewer and Charles Stamps earlier this year and held lengthy, positive discussions.

"It will be a historic day in the City of Houston," said Mayor Whitmire. "I ran for mayor to unite our City, and this celebration of unity in January will be a perfect opportunity to honor Dr. King's legacy and greatness. I can't think of a better way to acknowledge his contributions than by hosting the best parade, ever."

Each group has selected the Grand Marshals for the Unity Parade:

• Radio personality Madd Hatter
• MLK Grande Parade President Charles Stamps.

To show appreciation for his leadership in bringing the two organizations together, the groups have selected Houston Mayor John Whitmire to also serve as a Grand Marshal.

Mayor Whitmire was joined at the announcement by local faith and community leaders, including at-large Council Member Willie Davis, Teresa Brewer of the Black Heritage Society, Madd Hatta from Radio One, Charles Stamps of the MLK Grande Parade, METRO board member Leon Preston, and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and Houston Fire Chief Thomas Munoz.

"We are so proud that a single parade will take place in downtown Houston. As we embrace the shared history, we must remember, as Dr. King said, "we must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools," said Brewer.

"For the first time in over 30 years, Houston's two major Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades are coming together, and we are embracing Dr. King's dream by honoring our shared humanity and standing united," said Stamps.

The MLK Unity Parade will start on San Jacinto Street downtown and include a spectacular lineup of college and high school marching bands, floats, community groups, cultural organizations, and faith-based leaders.

METRO Partnership
METRO will offer complimentary rides to the MLK Parade.

• METRO's three rail lines will take you right into the heart of downtown and the parade route. Trains are running every few minutes, so it's the fastest way to join the celebration.
• Many local bus routes connect directly to the downtown area. Plan your trip using the RideMETRO app or RideMETRO.org.

The Unity MLK Day Parade is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit MLK Day Unity Parade 2026 .