Macy’s hasn’t won the public relations battle with people of color this year after a series of racial profiling scandals. Now, the retail giant’s flagship store in New York has another negative mark on its racial harmony record after it was discovered they keep a Black Santa Claus essentially hidden away from the public.
ANIMAL New York sent reporter Amy K. Nelson and a cameraman down to the Macy’s on 34th Street, braving the crowd of children waiting to to sit on Santa’s lap and have their photo taken for a fee. After inquiring about the “special Santa” from a white Santa Claus, the ANIMAL team were directed into a nook inside the massive Santaland maze within the department store where they found their man.
From ANIMAL New York:
When I asked White Santa if there was a Special Santa, he deflected. “Well that’s me,” he said. “I’m the special Santa, the everyday Santa, the good-looking Santa, the ugly Santa … to everybody.” He stayed in character throughout.
After being ushered out of Santaland by other elves and into a line where you wait to view photos taken with your Santa (and pay $20 for a 6×10 digital print) I asked another friendly elf if he could help me see the “special” Santa. “You need to ask an elf, in the maze,” he told me, then descended into Santaland himself to ask for me. About five minutes later, an official-looking woman not dressed as an elf brought me to another lodge (there looked as if there could be as many as three or four different lodges), where a toddler-aged black girl and her black mother were wrapping up their time with a black Santa Claus.
Nelson interviewed with the black Santa Claus after he finished with the toddler, and she sat down to unleash her slate of questions. The man stayed in character, and dodged Nelson’s quips about Fox News host Megyn Kelly’s assertion that Santa is a white man.
The ANIMAL team eventually got approached by Macy’s management, who asked them to clear any videotaping with its PR office. It was far too late, however, and it will be interesting to see how Macy’s explains this one.
Hit the next page to see ANIMAL New York’s on the special Black Santa Claus at Macy’s on 34th.
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Photo: ANIMAL New York
