81°F
weather icon Mostly Clear
Las Vegas, NV
Nation and World

Mall of America, the biggest in the US, hires first black Santa

Larry Jefferson, playing the role of Santa, smiles with Auden Good and his one-year-old brother Ezra at the Santa Experience at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., on Thursday. (Leila Navidi/Star Tribune via AP)
Larry Jefferson, playing the role of Santa, poses for a photo with Kingston Strong at the Santa Experience at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., on Thursday. (Leila Navidi/Star Tribune via AP)
More Stories
Las Vegas gunman kills 4, including police officer, at NYC office tower
Passengers wait in a security line at Denver International Airport on Feb. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/ ...
Passengers flee smoking jet on emergency slide after apparent landing gear problem at Denver airport
Walmart employees and customers wait outside while law enforcement investigates the scene after ...
Authorities seek to file terrorism and assault charges against suspect in Walmart knife attack
Police vehicle lights. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Cincinnati brawl captured on viral video appears to have left at least 2 injured
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
December 3, 2016 - 9:26 am
 

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The nation’s largest mall is hosting its first-ever black Santa Claus this this weekend.

The Star-Tribune reports The Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis hired Larry Jefferson to play Kris Kringle from Thursday to Sunday as part of its Santa Experience.

Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther says they “want Santa to be for everyone, period.” With that in mind, he tells the newspaper he launched a nationwide search for a diverse Santa and found Jefferson at a Santa convention in Branson, Missouri, over the summer. He was the only black Santa among the 1,000 impersonators in attendance.

Jefferson tells WCCO-TV that playing the jolly old elf is “no big deal” to him, saying “I’m still Santa, I just happen to be a Santa of color.”

Jefferson will return home to play Santa in the Dallas-area after Sunday.

MOST READ
Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Walmart employees and customers wait outside while law enforcement investigates the scene after ...
Authorities seek to file terrorism and assault charges against suspect in Walmart knife attack
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, RYAN SUN and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea said a motive behind the attack by Bradford Gille, 42, of Afton, Michigan, remains unclear. Gille, who Shea said had “prior assaultive incidents as well as controlled substance violations,” said very little as he was arrested.

Wrestler Hulk Hogan attends the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment 2015 Upfront at The Javits Cen ...
Hulk Hogan, icon in professional wrestling, dies at 71
By Curt Anderson and Ed White The Associated Press

Hulk Hogan won a world championship in Las Vegas in 1993 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

MORE STORIES