Target has apologized and removed a children's circus clown Halloween costume after critics said it evoked blackface and 19th century minstrel shows.
The item appeared as the "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume" and was sold under the retailer's Hyde and EEK Boutique brand. The product listing has since been deleted and the costume is no longer available for sale.
Company spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said the costume "is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment." He added "As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry." Harper-Tibaldo said Target is reviewing how the item appeared and what changes are needed to prevent a repeat.
Social media users criticized the Minneapolis-based retailer following the listing. "You really don't have anyone left in Minneapolis to say, 'Hey, that's racist'? Y'all cut DEI and now you've got a minstrel clown costume for kids on your website," one user wrote on Threads.
Reputation And Diversity Efforts
The pull came amid broader scrutiny of Target's recent choices and policies. The company faced criticism over its handling of a Pride Collection in 2023 and for rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, as reported in the coverage.
Target joined a broader corporate effort to scale back diversity initiatives after the president issued a series of executive orders aimed at rooting out DEI. The retailer said it scaled back programs meant to increase representation of Black employees and to support Black-owned businesses and suppliers so it could "stay in step with the evolving external landscape."
That reversal prompted backlash from some Black consumers and business owners who had supported or benefited from Target's diversity efforts. Company officials said removing the offensive costume was an important first step and that they were looking closely at what needs to change to ensure it will not happen again.
