The Canyon of Heroes

If you have ever wandered down Broadway in lower Manhattan, you have passed through one of New York City’s most celebrated and, at times, contentious stretches of pavement: the Canyon of Heroes. What might seem like an ordinary street is an historical marker, lined with brass plaques commemorating a century of ticker tape parades that have honored everyone from presidents and war heroes to sports teams and even opera stars. However, as with many tales of heroism, the Canyon’s history is not without its complications.

Let us take a stroll down this legendary route, where confetti meet controversy, and where the idea of what makes a "hero" has evolved.

The Birth of a Hero’s Canyon: Ticker Tape and Spontaneity

The first ticker tape parade was born quite by accident in 1886. As the city prepared to unveil the Statue of Liberty, office workers in the financial district decided to add their own unique flair to the festivities. Grabbing handfuls of ticker tape—those long paper strips used to print stock prices—they tossed the thin, curling streamers from their windows, creating an impromptu blizzard of paper. The sight was so jubilant that it caught on, so the ticker tape parade was born.

Soon, this stretch of Broadway, flanked by towering buildings, became the go-to route for parades celebrating many heroes. The Canyon of Heroes, as it became known, stretched from Battery Park to City Hall, and the parades it hosted over the years would shape the fabric of New York City’s history and culture.

Celebrating Heroes: A Diverse Cast of Characters

From world leaders to aviators, athletes to astronauts, the Canyon of Heroes has played host to a wildly diverse cast of honorees. General John J. Pershing received a parade in 1919 for leading U.S. troops during World War I. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh was celebrated for his daring solo flight across the Atlantic. And in 1932, Amelia Earhart got her ticker tape moment after making her own record-breaking transatlantic flight.

The Canyon was not just for military and aviation heroes. The New York Yankees have been honored multiple times for their World Series wins, as have other sports teams like the New York Mets and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. Nelson Mandela, after his release from prison in 1990, was welcomed as a symbol of justice and resilience, receiving a parade that filled the streets with hope and celebration.

During a 1962 parade for astronaut John Glenn, the confetti got so wet from rain that it clogged the sewers. 

But not all honorees were universally beloved.

Petain and the Problem of Reassessing Heroes

One of the most contentious figures ever to be honored in the Canyon of Heroes is Philippe Pétain, the French World War I hero who, years later, became infamous for his collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II. In 1931, Pétain was honored with a ticker tape parade for his service in World War I, where he had been lauded as the "Lion of Verdun" for leading French troops to victory.

However, by the time World War II ended, Pétain’s legacy had taken a dramatic turn. As head of the Vichy regime, Pétain collaborated with the Nazis, and his role in the deportation of Jews and other atrocities forever tarnished his reputation. His plaque in the Canyon of Heroes, installed decades earlier to commemorate his 1931 parade, became a symbol of a troubling past.

In recent years, many New Yorkers have called for the removal of Pétain’s plaque, arguing that his wartime actions make him unworthy of such a prominent honor. In 2017, amidst a broader national conversation about the removal of monuments to controversial figures, there was renewed attention to Pétain’s plaque. While some argued that it should be left as a historical marker, others felt it had no place in modern New York, a city that prides itself on its diversity and progressive values.The debate over Pétain’s plaque remains unresolved, but it highlights a central question that haunts the Canyon of Heroes: What happens when history changes its mind about a hero?

Controversy and Calls for Removal: More Than Just Petain

Pétain is not the only figure whose legacy has been re-examined. Ferdinand Marcos, the former dictator of the Philippines, received a ticker tape parade in 1982. His visit was seen as a diplomatic gesture, but Marcos’ regime was later toppled amidst accusations of corruption and human rights abuses. Like Pétain, his plaque now stands as a source of controversy, with many questioning whether it should remain in place.