Posted on Dec 2, 2016
Mall of America hires Army vet as its first-ever black Santa
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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The nation's largest mall is hosting its first-ever black Santa Claus 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.
Multiple news outlets have mentioned Jefferson's association with the military. USA Today reported that he is a retired Army veteran from Texas.
Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther said they "want Santa to be for everyone, period." With that in mind, he told the Tribune that 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 told 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.
Digital editor Chris Martin contributed to this report.
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.
Multiple news outlets have mentioned Jefferson's association with the military. USA Today reported that he is a retired Army veteran from Texas.
Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther said they "want Santa to be for everyone, period." With that in mind, he told the Tribune that 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 told 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.
Digital editor Chris Martin contributed to this report.
Mall of America hires Army vet as its first-ever black Santa
Posted from armytimes.comPosted in these groups: 
Christmas
Christmas
Posted 8 y ago
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Thanks for letting us know that Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis is "color-blind" in a healthy way as that mall hired Larry Jefferson to play Kris Kringle from Thursday to Sunday as part of its Santa Experience SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL.
Kudos to Mall of America and Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther who said they "want Santa to be for everyone, period."
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Tom Brown SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SSgt Robert Marx TSgt Joe C. SGT Robert George PO2 Ed C.
Kudos to Mall of America and Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther who said they "want Santa to be for everyone, period."
LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Tom Brown SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4"SSgt Robert Marx TSgt Joe C. SGT Robert George PO2 Ed C.
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