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The costume, called the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit,” was sold for $25 as part of Target’s Halloween collection, according to Reuters.
Critics said the combination of the costume’s dark hood and gloves, exaggerated smile and the fact that a Black child appeared in images modeling the outfit resembled racist caricatures historically associated with Blackface and minstrel shows.
Minstrel shows were popular 19th-century performances in which white performers often darkened their faces and portrayed Black people through exaggerated, racist stereotypes.
The performances depicted Black people through degrading caricatures and helped reinforce racist ideas about African Americans, according to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Target apologized Monday (August 24), saying, “We got this wrong.” The retailer acknowledged the costume was offensive and said it should not have been included in its assortment. Target also said it is reviewing how the product was approved, according to Reuters.
This comes as Target faces continued scrutiny over changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In January 2025, the retailer said it would conclude its three-year DEI goals and end its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives, which included a commitment to invest more than $2 billion in Black-owned businesses by 2025, Reuters reported.
Sheletta Brundidge, a Minneapolis-area business leader, questioned whether those changes played a role in the costume making it onto Target’s shelves.
“You rolled back diversity,” Brundidge said, according to Reuters. “So who’s in the room, now, to say ‘hey, this is wrong?’”
Social media users echoed those concerns.
One Black TikTok creator under the name @TheRealDoubledeemuva criticized Target’s handling of the costume and connected the backlash to the company’s changes to its diversity commitments.
“You would have never, ever considered this if you had someone in those back rooms that look like us,” the creator said.
