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Target pulls offensive Halloween costume after backlash
🇺🇸 United States /Culture & Society

Target pulls offensive Halloween costume after backlash

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Target removed a children's Halloween costume after facing backlash for its alleged racist minstrel caricatures, apologizing and stating it should never have been part of their assortment.
  • Critics described the costume as reminiscent of Jim Crow-era minstrel shows, which embedded stereotypes and justified discrimination.
  • This incident occurs as Target's sales rebound from previous controversies and a rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Target has pulled a children's Halloween costume from its shelves following significant social media backlash, issuing an apology for selling a garment that critics argued evoked racist minstrel caricatures. The retailer acknowledged that the costume was offensive and should not have been included in its product offerings.

As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale.

— TargetIssuing an apology and announcing the costume's removal.

Critics contended that the costume, particularly when promoted with an image of a Black child modeling it, bore a resemblance to caricatures from the Jim Crow era's minstrel shows. These shows are criticized for embedding harmful stereotypes into popular culture, which in turn helped to justify discrimination, segregation, and racial violence.

We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won't happen again.

— TargetAcknowledging the impact on the Black community and promising internal review.

"As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale," Target stated. The company recognized the particular hurt this caused its Black guests, team members, and partners, calling the removal of the costume an "important first step" and vowing to examine how the error occurred and implement necessary changes.

A Jim Crow-era minstrel costume is not simply getting it wrong. It is a profoundly harmful symbol of racism that should never have been designed, approved, or sold by Target.

— Rev. Jamal BryantA Georgia pastor criticizing the costume's nature and Target's approval process.

The misstep comes at a time when Target's sales have begun to recover. This rebound follows earlier company decisions that alienated some customers and a perception that the quality of its stores and merchandise had declined. The retailer has recently been re-evaluating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a move that has drawn criticism from some quarters.

It shows that Target still lacks corporate diversity among decision-makers and needs concrete internal change.

— Rev. Jamal BryantCommenting on the implications for Target's internal diversity.
About this summary

Originally published by PBS NewsHour in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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