Why a Black family is suing Sesame Place $25 million for 'racial discrimination'

It started a few days ago with a viral video which showed a costumed character high-fiving a white child and woman before gesturing no to two little Black girls who were reaching out for a hug. After outrage online, the Sesame Place in Philadelphia apologised for the incident.

Now, another Black family in Baltimore is suing the Sesame Street-themed amusement park for $25 million saying multiple costumed characters ignored their 5-year-old Black girl during a meet-and-greet event in June.

The suit, AP reported, was filed in a Philadelphia court against SeaWorld Parks, the owner of the Sesame Place, accusing it of “pervasive and appalling race discrimination.”


The lawsuit, filed by Quinton Burns, says the four costumed characters at Sesame Place interacted with only White guests, while ignoring his child and other Black guests.

The law firm representing Burns also released a video on YouTube which showed a Telly Monster character walk by without acknowledging his daughter Kennedi's outstretched hand.

It comes a few days after this 9-second viral video posted to Instagram by Jodi Brown, mother of one the two 6-year-old girls seen in it. Brown alleged racial bias by the character dressed as Rosita.

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After it was posted online, Sesame Place apologised for the incident but denied that the Rosita character deliberately ignore the Black kids

Sesame Place, popular with children in the US, has been the official “Sesame Street” theme park for more than four decades.