After an absence of several years, the African-American Heritage Day parade returned to Downtown Pittsburgh yesterday, marking the 21st anniversary of the original event.

About 60 groups, including bands from Perry and Westinghouse high schools, marched from the Mellon Arena to the United Steelworkers building, heading down the Boulevard of the Allies.

Harvey Adams, the former longtime president of the Pittsburgh NAACP and an organizer of the Heritage Day parade, joined the marchers for the first time since he suffered a stroke a few years ago, according to his daughter, Nikkisha Adams Wright.

She rode her motorcycle in the parade with about 30 bikers from the Ruff Ryders group.