Target has removed a children’s Halloween costume from its Hyde & EEK! Boutique line and apologized after critics said the product and its promotional image evoked blackface and minstrel caricature. A week after the item was pulled, the story drew renewed national attention when the Associated Press moved a wire report on August 26 that was carried by NPR and outlets including CNBC and Fox Business.
What was the Target Halloween costume that was pulled?
The item was the Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume, which sold for $25 as part of Target’s 2026 Hyde & EEK! Boutique assortment. It paired an orange-and-black circus clown bodysuit with a black mask featuring an exaggerated, wide toothy grin, a top hat, and gloves. Target’s promotional image showed a Black child modeling the costume. After shoppers began circulating screenshots of the listing, critics said the mask’s exaggerated features and the promotional photo recalled caricatures from Jim Crow-era minstrel shows.
Is the costume still for sale?
No. Target pulled the listing, and the product page now shows as unavailable.
Did Target apologize, and what did it say?
Yes. In a statement posted to its corporate newsroom on August 24, the company apologized:
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. 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.
Who designed and approved the costume?
The company has not said who designed the costume or how it was approved, saying only that it is “looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change.” That unanswered question is part of what kept the story alive into a second week. The costume did not come from an outside vendor sold through Target’s shelves. It shipped under Hyde & EEK! Boutique, the same in-house seasonal brand behind much of the retailer’s decor and costumes, which means it passed through Target’s internal design and review before reaching the site. For the rest of what that brand is carrying this year, see our guide to Target’s 2026 Hyde & EEK! Boutique collection.
Why did the backlash return a week later?
The Rev. Jamal Bryant, a Georgia pastor who led a 40-day “Target Fast” boycott, told the Associated Press the 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.” He said the episode “shows that Target still lacks corporate diversity among decision-makers and needs concrete internal change.”
The renewed backlash landed against a longer dispute. In January 2025, Target ended its three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion program and replaced it with a strategy it calls “Belonging.” The company had previously said the murder of George Floyd was a catalyst for those initiatives. Organizers called for a boycott, and Target lost roughly $12.4 billion in market value by the end of February, according to the Associated Press.
Boycott organizers said the costume gave their effort new momentum. Nekima Levy Armstrong, an organizer of the national boycott, told the AP that “the Target boycott never ended” and that it was “indefinite from the beginning, unless and until Target reversed course on its decision to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Another organizer, Jaylani Hussein, called the costume incident “not surprising.”
Retail analyst Bruce Winder said Target handled the aftermath the way a company should. “The most important thing for Target, and they did it, was to quickly take accountability, quickly say sorry, acknowledge that this was a big mistake, and pull the product from the shelves,” he told the AP.
Frequently asked questions
What costume did Target remove? The Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume, a $25 children’s costume from Target’s Hyde & EEK! Boutique line.
Why was it considered offensive? Critics said the black mask’s exaggerated, wide toothy grin, paired with a promotional image of a Black child in the costume, recalled blackface and Jim Crow-era minstrel caricature.
Did Target apologize? Yes. On August 24, Target said it “got this wrong” and was “deeply sorry,” calling the costume “offensive” and pulling it from sale.
Is the costume still available? No. The listing was removed and the product page shows as unavailable.
Who made the costume? It shipped under Hyde & EEK! Boutique, Target’s in-house seasonal brand, so it passed through Target’s internal design and review. Target has not said who designed or approved it.
