Actress Viola Davis has publicly stated that she does not accept Target's apology for a Halloween costume that has been widely described as racist. Davis shared an image of the costume, which Target has since removed from sale, on her Instagram account, condemning the retailer for allowing it in the first place.
"Target, I do not accept your apology, and I do not believe that you understand the impact... the pain... the dehumanization of the above," Davis wrote. "These images laid the foundation and the ideology for every atrocity that has been committed against my people. We MATTER!! You have shown us that you are not on OUR side."
Her post garnered numerous supportive comments from online users.
Target announced Monday that it would cease selling the costume, described as a "Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume." The item had been modeled by a Black child. Many social media users noted that the costume evoked racist imagery, including Blackface caricatures from the Jim Crow era.
In a statement shared on its social media channels, Target said, "We pulled an offensive Halloween costume that should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer for sale. As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners."
The company added that removing the costume was an important first step and that it was reviewing how the situation occurred to prevent future incidents. This incident occurs in the context of Target, along with other major retailers, scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in early 2025, following the re-election of President Donald Trump. The company had previously cited the 2020 murder of George Floyd as a catalyst for its DEI efforts.