Black Bike Week facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Bike Week |
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A custom Suzuki Hayabusa at Black Bike Week
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| Genre | Motorcycle rally |
| Date(s) | Memorial Day weekend |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Greater Grand Strand, South Carolina |
| Years active | 45 |
| Inaugurated | 1980 |
| Participants | 350,000 |
Black Bike Week, also known as Atlantic Beach Bikefest, is a huge yearly gathering of motorcyclists. It takes place in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area during the Memorial Day weekend. People describe it as a unique event where riders can show off their cool bikes and enjoy the atmosphere.
This event is the biggest African American motorcycle rally in the United States. Around 350,000 to 400,000 people attend each year. This makes it one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the entire country. Interestingly, about half of the participants at Black Bike Week are women, which is a much higher number than at other motorcycle events.
For many years, another motorcycle rally, mainly for white riders, also took place in Myrtle Beach. It was called Harley-Davidson Week. These two events often happened around the same time. However, there were different rules and more police presence during Black Bike Week. Because of this, groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and many attendees felt that the city and local businesses treated the Black Bike Week unfairly due to racial discrimination.
Over time, the city of Myrtle Beach tried to change how these events were held. They introduced new rules that affected both Black Bike Week and the Harley-Davidson rally. Even with these changes, bikers continued to come to the area. In 2010, the South Carolina Supreme Court even overturned some of Myrtle Beach's city rules, including one that required all motorcyclists to wear helmets.
The name "Black Bike Week" can also refer to a smaller event that happens during the Daytona Beach Bike Week in Florida. Like the South Carolina event, the Daytona rally also started because of racial separation. Black riders created their own event when they were not allowed to join the main festival.
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How Black Bike Week Started
In the 1960s and 1970s, many black motorcyclists began visiting Atlantic Beach, South Carolina. They rode various types of motorcycles, including Japanese brands like Honda and Suzuki, as well as Harley-Davidsons. This was different from the white event, where most riders preferred Harley-Davidsons. During the time of segregation, Atlantic Beach was one of the few beaches in the South where black people were allowed to visit.
The Black Bike Week rally, first called the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day BikeFest, began in Atlantic Beach in 1980. It was started by a motorcycle club called the Flaming Knight Riders. About 100 people attended the very first rally. Over the years, more and more bikers started gathering in Myrtle Beach instead of Atlantic Beach. In 1982, the Flaming Knight Riders changed their name to the Carolina Knight Riders.
By the 1990s, the event had grown much larger. It now included the entire greater Myrtle Beach area, also known as the Grand Strand. Local businesses and officials worked together to promote the rally.
The mainly white Harley rally started even earlier, in May 1940. A group of Harley-Davidson dealers created an association that held its first event in Myrtle Beach. This event included motorcycle races and other fun activities.
What Happens at Atlantic Beach Bikefest
The town of Atlantic Beach hosts a street festival called The Atlantic Beach Bikefest during the Memorial Day Black Bike Week weekend.
At Bikefest, you can see amazing custom motorcycles. Parts suppliers and dealers also show off their products. There are often exciting motorcycle stunt shows and other entertainment to attract crowds. Motorcycle clubs also gather to meet up and connect with each other. Many participants say it's a chance to be recognized and have a lot of fun.
Even though there have been attempts to organize events centrally, much of the activity at Bikefest is spontaneous. People enjoy cruising on their bikes and having street parties. You can see people dancing in the streets and enjoying the lively atmosphere. Vendors sell all sorts of things, like food, T-shirts, and music CDs. Some even offer rides on customized motorcycles. There's also live entertainment, including gospel music and daily motorcycle stunt shows.
In 2010, more people attended the Bikefest events in Atlantic Beach than in 2009. There was also a wider variety of entertainment and goods for sale. The town manager noted that more families with children were attending. He also said that more vendors were selling bike parts and upgrades, which allowed people to get their bikes worked on right at the event.
To help with traffic flow, a special 23-mile loop was approved in 2014. This loop aimed to make it easier for cars and motorcycles to move around during the busy weekend. For example, during certain hours, a main road called Ocean Boulevard would only allow southbound traffic. Police said the loop helped, but some bikers found it confusing or felt unwelcome. The NAACP called the loop unfair because it was only used for this one event.
As of 2017, the event is officially called The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival.
In 2020 and 2021, the Atlantic Beach Bikefest was postponed and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the festival was planned to resume in May 2022. In March 2022, the town council voted not to allow open carry of weapons during the events.
Concerns About Fair Treatment
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Over the years, some people have raised concerns about how Black Bike Week attendees were treated. In 2003, a group of black motorcyclists and the South Carolina chapter of the NAACP said that the city of Myrtle Beach and some businesses were unfair. They felt that traffic laws were enforced more strictly for black bikers. Many businesses also closed or reduced their hours during Black Bike Week.
A police detective who is also a motorcyclist once said that when white bikers came to Myrtle Beach, they were welcomed. But when black riders came, it felt like things were made more difficult for them. City officials, however, said that the Black Bike Week crowd was much larger and younger, which required a different response from the city.
The NAACP worked to address these concerns. From 2005 to 2008, they ran "Operation Bike Week Justice." They set up a hotline for complaints and watched how police and local businesses treated African Americans. They also monitored traffic patterns. Through their efforts, agreements were made with the city and some businesses to ensure fairer treatment. For example, the police department agreed to use the same traffic patterns for both Black Bike Week and the Harley Bike Week on the city's main road.
One hotel, The Yachtsman Resort Hotel, had required Black Bike Week guests to sign a special contract, pay for their stay in advance, and show photo ID. The hotel later agreed to a settlement. This included a payment and a promise to offer future discounts and make policy changes. They also agreed to provide anti-discrimination training for their employees every year.
In 2010, the NAACP announced that it would continue to monitor police and local businesses to ensure fair treatment. Concerns about fair treatment continued, and in 2018, the NAACP and others sued the city of Myrtle Beach again. A jury later looked into whether the actions taken were racially motivated.
Myrtle Beach City Rules
In 2008, the Myrtle Beach City Council decided they would no longer host motorcycle rallies. They passed new rules that placed restrictions on motorcycle events. These rules included limits on muffler noise, requiring helmets within city limits, and restricting parking. Despite these new rules, the number of attendees at Black Bike Week in 2009 only went down a little. Many vendors, hotels, and biker groups still planned events for Black Bike Week in 2010.
The Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association, which organized the white rally, moved their event to a different city in 2009. They said they moved because Myrtle Beach had passed "silly laws" that made them feel unwelcome.
Helmet Law Changes
On June 8, 2010, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned a Myrtle Beach city rule that required all motorcyclists to wear helmets. The court said that state law only requires helmets for riders under age 21. A city rule cannot go against a state law. The court also said that the city's rule caused confusion for riders.
The ruling meant that any tickets given under this helmet rule had to be dismissed. Also, any fines collected had to be returned. This decision made some people think that more motorcyclists would return to Myrtle Beach. Some bikers immediately booked rooms for the next year. However, others said they would never return to Myrtle Beach and would instead support businesses outside the city.
Myrtle Beach Changes Noise Rules
Later, the Myrtle Beach city council increased the noise limit for motor vehicles. This change came after a lawsuit was filed against the city's noise rules. Motor vehicles are now allowed to be as loud as 99 decibels. This new limit is more in line with national standards for noise.
See also
- Urban Beach Week, also on the Memorial Day weekend.
