Harrisburg 01/03/2020-PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW immediately responded to this incident with a letter to Mayor Kenney following the Mayors disqualified a group of Mummers on New Years Day.
Several of the mummers dressed in complete blackface for the parade. Lassiter lauded the Mayors prior efforts to address "unfortunate incidents" during the annual parade.
Executive Director Lassiter offered to provide bias and cultural sensitivity training to Philadelphia Mummers. Mr Lassiter said "the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act provides a mechanism for the Commission to educate the public in order to prevent discrimination and to address incidents of racial and ethnic bias". The PHRC is top civil rights agency in the State and has recently been active in communities around the Commonwealth where racial incidents have occurred.
"Blackface is recognized as offensive", Lassiter said "it's completely unacceptable and PHRC is committed to educate the public on that fact".