Target Yanks Clown Costume After Blackface Backlash

Target probably didn't need a new controversy over a kids' costume, but here we are. As Reuters reports, the retailer on Monday yanked a kids' "Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown" costume after critics on social media said it evoked Blackface and minstrel imagery. The product, which was priced at $25, has been yanked from the company's website, but the Washington Post says it "depicted a Black child in an orange and black outfit with a ruffled collar, black gloves and a face covering mimicking an exaggerated, wide smile."

"We know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry," Target said, calling the costume "offensive" and "especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners." The item, sold under Target's Hyde and EEK Boutique label, raised fresh questions about the company's 2025 pullback on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, with Minneapolis business leader Sheletta Brundidge putting it thusly: "You rolled back diversity," she said, "so who's in the room, now, to say 'hey, this is wrong?'" Analysts say Target, which has recently posted strong quarters but faces fierce competition, can ill afford missteps with its reputation.