From left, East Orange Recreational Director Osner Charles, Pastor Veronica Palmer of Calvary-Roseville United Methodist Church and Naima Hall of the Passion for a Purpose non-profit charitable organization join black Santa on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Joi’s Angels Holiday Party and Toy Giveaway at the Church. A black Santa also figure prominently at Irvington’s annual Holiday Tree-Lighting Spectacular in Civic Square on Wednesday, Dec. 7.
EAST ORANGE/IRVINGTON, NJ — Santa Claus appeared in more than one color in East Orange this year. White Santa gave out gifts and toys and spread holiday cheer at the city’s official Tree-Lighting and Toy Giveaway in City Hall Plaza on Friday, Dec. 9, while black Santa brought smiles to hundreds of faces at the Joi’s Angels annual Holiday Party and Toy Giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 18.
Both Santas enjoyed a ride to their respective events, courtesy of the East Orange Fire Department. And although no verifiable link between Santa and the fire department, regardless of race, has ever been proven, fire East Orange Fire Department Capt. Bruce Davis spilled the beans.
“I’ll make it simple as this: The sled is red and so are the fire engines,” said Davis on Saturday, Dec. 17. “Somebody needs an escort. Why not the fire department?”
“I’m a firefighter, too,” confessed black Santa.
Irvington Fire Chief Antonio Gary had a different theory about Santa’s special relationship with firefighters.
“Santa knows that we clean the chimneys and we make access points for him, so that’s why he loves us,” said Gary on Wednesday, Dec. 7. “He follows us around, because he knows that kids flock to us and it makes his job easier, because he doesn’t have to chase kids around to give toys to them. They come to him.”
East Orange city officials would neither confirm nor deny that either Santa was a member of the East Orange Fire Department, but Recreation Department and Cultural Affairs Director Osner Charles did say race should never be an issue, when it comes to Santa Claus.
“We’re glad and I’m definitely glad to be here with the people, serving the people, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today,” said Charles on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Joi’s Angels event. “We have people here from all walks of life … We’re not here to separate anybody. We’re here to bring people together and uplift our community.”
“It is Irvington and we chose to have a black Santa,” said Irvington Recreation Department and Cultural Affairs Director Donald Malloy on Wednesday, Dec. 7. “It’s been great man, really great. We had a great turnout.”
Gary, the township’s first black fire chief, said there was nothing surprising about having a black Santa, even though he said, “I don’t believe in Santa Claus anymore.”
“I just think we got to get away from putting color on things and just relish in the experience of somebody just trying to do good things,” said Gary on Wednesday, Dec 7. “We can always say ‘black, white, blue, purple,’ but when it’s all said and done, as long as we treat people equally and fairly, it’s all a done deal.”
“Santa Claus is from the Irvington Fire Department; this is what we do,” confirmed Gary. “He does it from the kindness of his heart and he’s very territorial, too — can’t nobody replace him as Santa. So we recognize this. We’re stuck with him for about another five years before he retires, so nobody else can be Santa, not even the mayor. Only Santa from the fire department is going to be Santa.”
Firsts are nothing new for Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss, who promoted Gary fire chief. Vauss also made Newark Fire Department spokesman and firefighter John Brown the township’s first black fire director. The Irvington Fire Department International Association of Firefighters Local 305 first black union president is Mike Scott.
“We also have our first African-American public safety director, Tracy Bowers,” said Vauss with a laugh on Wednesday, Dec. 7. “I’m just glad the members of our police and fire departments volunteer their time and services to help us out here by contributing as Santa and a lot of other costumed characters that we have around here tonight.”
Vauss also explained that Santa seems to favor firefighters over other public employees for this reason: “The fire truck is the biggest red vehicle that we can get, so that’s why he always rides with them.”
Dewansha Adolphe, 10, was one of the big stocking winners at the annual Irvington Tree-Lighting event, and attended with her relatives, Nikicha Adolphe, 14, and Darryl Adolphe, 11.
“We took a picture with him,” said Nikicha of Santa on Wednesday, Dec. 7. “It’s weird, because, in the movies, he’s actually white, not trying to be racist. I felt kind of stupid I guess, because I didn’t know that Santa Claus was going to be black. But I’m kind of surprised. I had a wonderful time today.”
Nikicha said it was a “good surprise” that Santa was black and Darryl said he “respected” that Santa was black. But Dewansha said she thought Santa being black was “stupid,” because it isn’t the way he is traditionally depicted.
“I like it but he’s black,” said Dewansha, a recent immigrant from Haiti who is still working on her English. “In movies, I see that he’s not black. So it’s stupid that he’s black, because that’s not what I expected to see, but I still liked it.”
Santa Claus comes in black and white this year added by Chris Sykes on
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