Target Pulls Racist Clown Costume, Apologizes After Social Media Backlash

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 24

Target removed a children’s “Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown” Halloween costume from sale and issued an apology after online criticism said its imagery resembled racist minstrel-show caricatures.
The ad showed a Black child wearing solid black gloves and a mask with a wide, toothy smile, with the pose and styling drawing the strongest backlash.
Target said “we got this wrong” and called the costume offensive, adding that it is reviewing how the item entered its assortment and what must change to prevent a repeat.
The episode adds to a string of controversies for the Minneapolis retailer, which faced boycott calls last year after scaling back DEI initiatives and fresh pressure last week over Trump’s National Guard push in Minneapolis.
Target’s shares fell from $137.40 on Jan. 24, when it cut DEI programs, to $104.70 on March 15; the company had begun recovering financially before this latest dispute.