Black Santa Houston Continues To Shine As A Symbol Of Representation In The Holiday Season

Black Santa Houston speaks to the power of representation through its platform.

While Santa Claus is a mythical religious figure, his presence as a diverse, inclusive symbol of Christmas is as important as ever. Black Santa Houston touches further on being a beacon of representation during the holidays.

The man behind the white beard in the Texas city is Kelvin Douglas, who took on the role after a desire from Magan Butler-Coleman to have her son take a picture with a Santa who looked like him. Although finding the perfect Black Santa only came after two years of searching, Douglas embarked on the role in 2019 to fulfill the need for the diverse youth of Houston.

His success since donning the big red suit has been massive, taking on the Christmas spectacle with pride as he has been featured on multiple platforms, including The New York Times and The Drew Barrymore Show. Of why his representation in this capacity has been pivotal, Douglas spoke to theGrio on what Black Santa means to not only children, but the community.

“It is crucial because it gives them that reinforcement that they can be anything that they want to be, and that’s important,” explained Douglas. “So when they begin to see Black Santas and Black doctors and Black lawyers and Black teachers, they know that they can also become that themselves — and even a Black president. It’s important that [Black children] always see themselves reflected in society.”

Families have traveled from all over the country to get their Christmas pictures with the all-Black family of Santa Claus, as Black Santa Houston has since expanded to add more performers as Mr. and Mrs. Claus, in addition to securing a commercial space for the booming business. With Houston now servicing as the North Pole, this inclusive and uplifting Santa experience is providing an overdue representation for all.

For those wanting to carry on the joy at home, the company has also launched a sleepwear line, complete with the melanated figure printed on the clothes, so that Black Santa can continue to be part of the holiday tradition.