Target Halloween costume controversy: What costume did Target remove and why?

Target has removed a children’s Halloween costume from its shelves and online store after the product was severely criticized for resembling racist blackface and Jim Crow-era minstrel imagery.

The Minneapolis-based retailer apologized Monday, August 24, acknowledging that it should never have included the costume in its assortment and saying it is reviewing how the product reached the market.

“As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” Target said in a statement. “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.”

Jim Crow–era minstrel imagery is exaggerated, dehumanizing caricatures that portrayed Black people as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, hypersexual, cowardly, and prone to thievery, as the Smithsonian summarizes.

What costume did Target remove?

The product at the center of the Target costume controversy was listed as the “Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit” from Target’s Hyde and EEK Boutique.

The target Halloween costume included a bodysuit, black gloves and a black face mask with an exaggerated grin and a small top hat.

Critics objected to the design and argued that its appearance evoked imagery associated with blackface and racist minstrel performances from the Jim Crow era. The controversy intensified after a Black child was featured modeling the costume in Target’s product imagery.

Target costume backlash grows online

The target offensive Halloween costume quickly drew criticism on social media, with commentators questioning how the product was approved and sold ahead of Halloween 2026.

Local media personality Sheletta Brundidge said in a LinkedIn post: “Target keeps on showing us who they truly are, but some of us still won't believe them.”

Another widely followed social media account also criticized the retailer’s decision to sell the costume, writing, “Doubt @Target never would have made the disastrous decision to market a Halloween costume that looks like it’s straight out of the Jim Crow era if Black folks had a seat at the table.”


For shoppers searching for what costume did Target remove, the answer is the Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit. The product is no longer available for sale, according to the retailer.