Kiya Burgess, 25, won a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest held at Philadelphia's Independence Mall on July 4 weekend, but her win has drawn criticism from some who argued her appearance did not accurately represent the historical figure. Burgess, a Black woman, wore a handmade wig, glasses, and a historically inspired blazer and vest.
The contest, which saw over 30 participants pay $1 to enter, was organized by West Philadelphia resident Elena Jackendoff, who described it as a "democratic competition." Burgess crafted her costume over three nights, adapting it from cosplay for the Broadway musical "Hamilton."
Social media users expressed mixed reactions. Some questioned the judges' decision, citing that Burgess's race differed from Benjamin Franklin's. "In no world does she win a look-a-like contest for a white man," one user wrote on X. Another commented, "if we’re going for realism here in the best representation, this is not it."
Others defended Burgess, viewing her participation as a patriotic celebration and an act of creative expression. "It's not that serious. Good for her. She's having fun and seems to love America," one X user posted. Another commenter stated, "A creative, talented, passionate, American won? Nice."
Burgess shared with CNN that she decided to make the costume herself after seeing the cost of similar items online. "I saw how much it cost on Amazon and I’m like, I can make that," she said. "So I went to the fabric store and I spent like three all-nighters making this entire thing. Like the only thing I didn’t make was this shirt that I thrifted."
Jackendoff emphasized the spirit of the event, stating, "This is a democratic competition, just like Ben would have wanted it." She added, "Philadelphia is really special, and we deserve to celebrate, even with all of the terrible things going on."
