INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Black Expo, Inc. has named Korey Wise, criminal justice reform advocate and a public speaker, as the grand marshal of this year’s Circle City Classic Parade®. This year’s parade will take place on Saturday, September 28 at 10:30 AM beginning at North and Pennsylvania Streets. IBE anticipates a crowd of 100,000. The parade will be aired on WHMB- TV40.
Korey was the eldest of the Central Park Five who, alongside Raymond Santana, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, and Yusef Salaam, were wrongfully accused and jailed in the 1989 rape and beating of a 28-year-old jogger when he was 16. Despite no DNA matches, the five young men faced trial, were convicted and handed custodial sentences ranging from six to 13 years. The Central Park Five, now re-christened the Exonerated Five, were five Black and Latino teenagers whose acquittal came only after all five men had served their time.
Korey is an activist and public figure who travels around the United States advocating for criminal justice reform and sharing his own incredible story of false convictions, unjust incarceration, and, finally, full vindication. “The Central Park Five.” Their story was recently dramatized and released as a 4-episode miniseries on Netflix entitled “When They See Us.” The hit series has received international acclaim and accolades, winning two Emmy Awards after 16 nominations in 2019; Jharrel Jerome won the 2019 Emmy for Lead Actor in a Limited Series/Movie for his portrayal of Wise. Korey Wise’s story is especially troubling and emotional as he was the oldest at 16 and the only member of the five to serve all of his time in the adult prison system.
The 36th Annual Circle City Classic® Game featuring the match up of Jackson State University and the Kentucky State University will take place on Saturday, September 28 at 3 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium. For more information or to purchase tickets to the 36th Annual Circle City Classic®, visit the Indiana Black Expo Box Office at 3145 North Meridian or go online to www.CircleCityClassic.com.
About Indiana Black Expo, Inc.
Indiana Black Expo, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) statewide organization with 12 chapter affiliates. The mission of IBE is to serve as a voice and vehicle for the social and economic advancement of African-Americans. IBE is known for its two major fundraisers, Summer Celebration and Circle City Classic®. IBE provides year-round youth and family programs, including its recent Performing Arts Academy, Education Day (college fair), Summer Internship Program, Circle City Classic® Scholarship Fund which has provided $4.6 million in scholarships, State of Our Black Youth Report and Initiative, Parent Leadership Academy, Statewide Anti-Tobacco Initiative, Education Conference, Youth Leadership Summit, Employment Opportunity Fair, and Minority Business Conference. IBE was recently recognized as “A Community to Watch” by the Obama Foundation for its work to eliminate barriers for African American males.
For more information please visit: www.IndianaBlackExpo.com
