A former blackface performer runs for Maryland House of Delegates seat

UNITED STATES, May 23 — Berger said he stopped performing as Jolson in blackface in 2016. He said people got angry at him, but claimed they misunderstood that what he was doing wasn’t racist. It was about Jolson, the entertainer who was a superstar in the 1920s and 30s and is perhaps best remembered for his blackface performance of My Mammy.

“I stopped because the people that came to scream about it might hurt people that were inside when they left,” Berger said. It’s gotten to be a crazy world this time. ” According to the Baltimore Sun, a 2015 fundraiser planned for the six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray was canceled because Berger was going to be the entertainment.

It was called “racist and in poor taste. ” In the 1980s Berger was fired as a city police officer because of his blackface performances. He sued and successfully got his job back.

Berger said, “All they knew was the blackface. That’s all they knew. ” Berger said the House of Delegates race is his first political campaign.

“I’m just into people,” Berger said. “I want to help people if I can. ” Berger is running as a Republican for one of three House seats representing District 6, which includes Dundalk.

Three GOP incumbents are running for those seats as well — Ric Metzgar, Bob Long and Robin Grammer. Berger said he asks people if they know who their delegate is and more often than not they don’t. “If you don’t know who your delegate is, what’s he doing?

” Maryland’s primary election day is June 23.