Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney Puts Future Of Mummers Parade In Jeopardy

Howard Monroe reports.

AND GET MUCH MORE ON THETRANSITION FROM ARCHBISHOPCHAPUT ON CBS PHILLY.COM.DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW 120YEAR PHILADELPHIA TRADITION ISIN JEOPARDY.MUMMERS PARADE IS ON LIFESUPPORT AS MAYOR JIM KENNEYREBUCKS MUMMERS ORGANIZATIONWITH HIS STRONGEST TERMS YET.HE IS REQUESTING A MEETINGABOUT THE ONGOING USE HAVEBLACK FACE IN THE PARADE."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERHOWARD MONROE IS LIVE ON THESKY DECK WITH THE DETAILSTONIGHT, HOWARD.REPORTER: MAYOR SENT A TWOPAGE LETTER TO FIVE DIFFERENTMUMMERS CLUBS, CALLING ONLEADERSHIP TO MAKE MEANINGFULCHANGES AND HE THREATENED TOCANCEL THE PARADE IF THEY DONOT.THAT LETTER WAS SENT TO THECOMICS, WENCH, STRING BAND ANDFANCY BRIGADE DIVISIONS.IT COMES AFTER FROGE CAR CLUBWAS DISQUALIFIED FROM THE 2020COMPETITION AFTER TWO MEMBERSWORE BLACK FACE TO THE PARADE.THE MEMBERS INSISTED THEY WERENOT IN BLACK FACE SAYING THEIRCOSTUME WAS GRITTY THEME,REFERRING TO THE FLYERSMASCOT.BUT HISTORY OF THE MUMMERSPARADE IS STEEPED INCONTROVERSY BECAUSE OF OTHERINSTANCES OF RACISM, INCLUDINGMEMBERS WEARING BLACK FACEDURING PAST EVENTS.MAYOR KENNEY IS A FORMERMEMBER HIMSELF.HE SAID HE WANTS TO WORK WITHTHE ORGANIZATION, TO MAKE ABETTER, MORE INCLUSIVE EVENTBUT WARNS FUNDING FOR THEPARADE COULD BE CUT IF THEMUMMERS DO NOT COMMIT TOMEANINGFUL CHANGES.HE SAID ALTERNATIVE COULD BETHE CITY HOSTING ITS OWN NEWYEARS DAY PARADE ORCELEBRATION.THE SERIES OF INCIDENT HASOTHERS BEYOND THE MAYOR UPSET,AS THE FIRST CITY COUNCILMEETING OF THE 2020 SESSIONTODAY COUNCIL WOMAN CINDY BASSINTRODUCED LEGISLATION THATWOULD PROHIBIT WEARING OF THEBLACK FACE ANYWHERE ON PUBLICOR PRIVATE PROPERTY IN THECITY.IF PASSED IT WILL GO INTOEFFECT IMMEDIATELY.PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE THE LAWWOULD FACE FINES OF AT LEAST$75.WE DID JUST TALK TO THEMUMMERS PRESIDENT AND HE SAIDTHEY HAVE NO PLANS TO SPEAKPUBLICLY UNTIL ALL OF THEDIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVEHAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEMAYOR'S LETTER.WE WILL BE SURE TO HAVE MOREINFORMATION ON THIS COMING UPTONIGHT AT 10 AND 11:00.