Published: June 12, 2009 10:24 pm      

Tavis Smiley to lead Haynes Apperson parade

Parade will hit downtown June 27

Author, broadcaster, social advocate and hometown legend Tavis Smiley will give thousands of Kokomo residents reasons to smile at the annual Haynes Apperson Festival parade this year — as its grand marshal.

Haynes Apperson Festival organizers announced Friday that Smiley has accepted the invitation to lead the parade that highlights the three-day festival, set for June 25 to 27.

“He’s from Kokomo, and he’s had such a tremendous amount of success, and we’re just thrilled that he’s willing to come back home and celebrate our automotive heritage with us,” said festival chairman Paul Wyman.

Smiley, who was raised as one of 10 children in a trailer in Bunker Hill, has risen to become one of the nation’s leading black journalists. He has worked for “BET Tonight,” National Public Radio, and currently hosts late night television talk show “Tavis Smiley” for the Public Broadcasting System and “The Tavis Smiley Show,” which is distributed by Public Radio International.

In addition to his radio and television career, Smiley has authored 14 books, including “What I Know For Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America.” That memoir was No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list and included a great deal of his upbringing in the Kokomo area.

In 2009, Time Magazine named Smiley one of “The World’s Most Influential People.”

The parade will kick off at 2 p.m. June 27 and will snake through downtown Kokomo, featuring dozens of floats from local organizations, and tons of classic and vintage cars.

Every year, Wyman said, the festival’s board of directors brainstorm about who would make a good choice to lead the parade and they were delighted when Smiley accepted.

Past grand marshals have included local war hero Bret McCauley, former 500 Festival queen Tracey Todd and “Survivor” Rupert Boneham.

• Erin Shultz is the Kokomo Tribune Life & Style editor. She may be reached at (765) 454-8587 or erin.shultz@kokomotribune.com.