Target pulls Blackface-evoking costume amid backlash

Target pulled the Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown costume after backlash over imagery critics said evoked racist Jim Crow minstrel caricatures, and it was modeled by a Black child. The company apologized, said the item was offensive and is no longer for sale, and pledged to review how it slipped through and how to prevent recurrence. Protests outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters demanded answers about governance and how the design passed approval, highlighting concerns over approval processes. The episode is set against ongoing criticism of Target’s DEI retreat and discussions about representation and decision-making within the company. Reported stock-market impact, leadership and strategy shifts, and calls for deeper embedding of equity in ideation and review processes accompany the coverage. Some reporting notes that Target has shown improving sales momentum despite backlash, while activists continue calls for a boycott.