@startribune: Target pulled a Halloween costume from its website after social media users said it resembled racist caricatures historically used to demean Black people. The costume was part of Hyde and EEK! Boutique, a Target-owned Halloween brand, raising questions about how the item made it through the company’s product review process. The costume, which was meant for children, had the general design of a clown outfit with orange and black patterns, but it also included a mask that imposed a large grin over the wearer’s face. A small top hat was also included. The costume’s model on the retailer’s website appeared to be a Black child. The costume and the posture of the model in the photo drew comparisons online to images of the racist theatrical character Jim Crow, a staple in blackface minstrel shows, which dehumanized Black people. This isn’t the first time Target has pulled products from its shelves after public backlash. In February 2024, the retailer pulled a Black History Month magnetic learning activity from stores and its website after a history teacher demonstrated in a widely shared TikTok video that the product mismatched the names and images of Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois and Carter G. Woodson. That product, unlike the Halloween costume, was made by a third-party manufacturer. Tap the link in our bio for more from Carson Hertzog and Elliot Hughes. Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune

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Tuesday 25 August 2026 01:25:47 GMT