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A Black Santa exhibit at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center in Kansas City, Missouri, is reimagining the holiday's favorite figure to better represent the community it serves.
The annual exhibit features the Wilhelmina L. Stewart Black Santa collection, displaying more than 40 figurines that honor the Black community and holiday traditions.
Through community donations, the collection continues to grow each year.
"It's an annual exhibit; it started a year ago," said Emiel Cleaver, Bruce R. Watkins Center executive director. "And we actually want to grow the exhibit, so we've asked people to donate Black Santas. We had a couple of people donate this week. So next year, we want the collection to grow even bigger."
The exhibit serves a deeper purpose beyond holiday decoration, providing representation for children who may not see themselves reflected in traditional Santa imagery.
"When the Black Santa first came into existence, it was a little after minstrel shows," Clever said. "So Black people just wanted representation. And I think it's a good idea that kids can see a Santa that looks like them, look like their uncle, their grandfather. It just makes them feel good about themselves and self-pride."
Cleaver, who didn't grow up seeing Black Santas, understands the importance of visibility for today's children.
"I'm from an era where there weren't many Black Santas," he said. "I know there were Black Santas around, but from where I was, there wasn't any Black Santas."
Despite the different appearance, the mission remains unchanged — spreading holiday joy and making spirits bright.
"It doesn't matter what color he is, I think it matters more representation," Cleaver said.
The Black Santa exhibit runs Tuesday through Saturday until Jan. 9, 2026, at the Bruce R. Watkins Center.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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