Mall of America welcomes its first black Santa

Mall of America hired a black Santa Claus for the first time in its 24-year history.

“This is a long time coming,” said Landon Luther, co-owner of the Santa Experience, which has run the intimate photo studio at the mall for 10 years. “We want Santa to be for everyone, period.”

Santa Sid, a 20-year veteran at Mall of America, found Larry Jefferson during a Santa convention in Branson.

Read more from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.