Target Pulls Magnet Kit That Misidentified Three Black Leaders
Target has removed an educational magnet collection from its stores that misidentified three Black leaders after a high school history teacher called attention to the errors in a TikTok video.
In the videothe teacher, Tierra Espy, said she purchased the “Civil Rights Magnetic Learning Activity,” a tin box containing 26 magnets and information cards with illustrations of black leaders and slogans from the civil rights movement, for Black History Month, which is celebrated in the United States in February.
“I noticed some discrepancies as soon as I opened this,” she said in the video, noting that a magnet labeled Carter G. Woodson, a scholar of African-American history, actually depicted WEB DuBois, the sociologist and author from “The Souls of Black Folk.”
“Look at the 'stache,” she said, referring to a photo of DuBois on the Internet with the same mustache as the figure in the magnet mislabeled Woodson. “They got the name wrong.”
She also pointed to a magnet that was incorrectly labeled DuBois. It actually depicted Booker T. Washington, the business leader and founder and president of the college that later became Tuskegee University. Likewise, a magnet labeled Washington actually depicted Woodson, she said.
Ms. Espy said the accompanying cards also incorrectly identified Woodson, DuBois and Washington.
“I understand, mistakes can happen, but this needs to be corrected as soon as possible,” Ms. Espy said in the video.
In an interview on Saturday, Ms. Espy, 26, who teaches American history at a high school in North Las Vegas, said she bought the can of magnets for her children, ages 4 and 6, as an educational tool for black people. History Month.
Ms Espy said she was alarmed when she discovered the errors.
“I was upset because I thought, how does this get to so many people, at so many levels and in the stores, and I noticed it in 10 seconds?” she said. “Whoa, this is not okay.”
Bendon Publisherswhich produces sticker books, dress-up dolls and other magnet kits, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but as of Saturday the magnet kit was not listed among the titles on the company's website and Amazon page.
Target said in a statement that it would no longer sell the kit online or in its stores, and that it had “ensured that the product publisher was aware of the errors.”
Black scholars started a project to share and celebrate Black history in the early 20th century, after Reconstruction.
Black History Month began in 1924 as Negro History and Literature Week, led by Dr. Woodson, known as the “Father of Black History.” The month was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976.