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Target Removes Blacklight Clown Costume After Blackface Criticism

8/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Target removed the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown” costume after criticism that it resembled blackface.
Target apologized, saying the costume was offensive and hurtful to Black guests, employees and partners.
Shares fell up to 5% after the incident, closing at $163.47 on Aug. 25.
Target will review its product-approval process to prevent similar errors.

History

Historical Context

Retailers H&M and Target have recently been cited in discussions about product-naming controversies, reflecting a wider pattern where symbols spark public debate. Historically, the letter H—central to both brands’ names—has driven linguistic change, exemplified by the 1901 German spelling reform and its rank as the eighth-most common English letter at roughly 6.1% frequency.

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Story summary

Target removed the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown” costume after criticism that it resembled blackface.
Target apologized, saying the costume was offensive and hurtful to Black guests, employees and partners.
Shares fell up to 5% after the incident, closing at $163.47 on Aug. 25.
Target will review its product-approval process to prevent similar errors.

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