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Target Corporation apologizes and removes a children's Halloween costume after social media backlash over racist imagery

Target Corporation pulled a children's Halloween costume from its shelves on Monday after widespread social media backlash. The retailer apologized for the garment, which critics argued evoked racist minstrel caricatures from the Jim Crow era. The costume, titled "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume," featured a Black child modeling a grinning mask and top hat, which many felt was a profoundly harmful symbol of racism. Following the incident, Target Corporation's stock saw a decline of as much as 5% on Tuesday. The controversy follows a period where the retailer rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts after President Trump won the 2024 election. While the company has managed a recovery in recent months, activists and boycott organizers have criticized the move as a sign of capitulation to the administration. The retailer is currently reviewing its internal processes to ensure such inventory errors do not recur.

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