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THE VOICE OF BLACK MINNESOTA SINCE 1934 September 3 - 9, 2026
Vol. 93
Phone: 612-827-4021 www.spokesman-recorder.com
No. 5
Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong speaks outside Target headquarters in Minneapolis on Aug. 28, 2026, demanding accountability over a Halloween costume criticized as racist. Jasmine McBride/MSR By Jasmine McBride Editor ivil rights leaders gathered outside Target's Minneapolis headquarters Friday to demand accountability after a children's Halloween costume that evoked the imagery of blackface and minstrelsy was pulled from the retailer's shelves and website. The press conference, held at noon at 1000 Nicollet Mall, drew the co-founders of the National Target Boycott along
with community members and at least one self-described former customer. Nekima Levy Armstrong, an attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network, opened by noting the date's significance in Black history. She said Emmett Till was murdered 71 years earlier, on Aug. 28, 1955, and that Rosa Parks later said his death was on her mind when she refused to give up her bus seat. Levy Armstrong also noted the March on Washington took place on Aug. 28, 1963.
Target, in a statement post"So August 28th holds significant power and impor- ed to social media, said it retance within the Black com- moved the costume and called munity," Levy Armstrong said. it "an important first step." "We removed an offenLevy Armstrong said Target apologized for the costume sive Halloween costume that but has not answered more should never have been part of our assortment. It is no lonfundamental questions. "How did this happen in the ger for sale," the company said. first place? Who reviewed "As a company, we got this this costume, who approved wrong, and we are deeply sorit, who marketed it, who had ry. We know this is especially the opportunity to stop it, and hurtful for our Black guests, who was in the room when team members and partners. those decisions were made?" ... We are looking closely at she said. "This wasn't one per- how this happened and what needs to change to ensure son's mistake."
“This wasn’t one person’s mistake.” this won't happen again." The Minnesota SpokesmanRecorder emailed Target's corporate communications team seeking comment ahead of publication, asking specifically about the costume's internal approval process and how many stages of review it went through; whether it was
designed in-house or sourced from an outside vendor; which teams are required to sign off on new products before they reach the assortment; whether the costume underwent any diversity, equity or cultural-sensitivity review, and whether such a review still ■ See TARGET on page 5
MN15 defense presses AT&T surprises Northside families with free MacBooks at Phyllis Wheatley for more evidence as attorneys allege back-to-school event political prosecution By Jasmine McBride Editor
Tyner, president and CEO of the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center. “Everybody or families who came signed up just to receive a to the Phyllis Wheatley backpack of school supplies. Community Center on So when Cheryl Riley, the reAug. 28 expecting a backpack gional president, announced full of school supplies, the day that they were receiving Apheld an extra surprise: a free ple MacBooks, the joy and the MacBook for their kids head- surprise on the kids’ faces and on the parents’ faces, I think ing back to school. AT&T and Human-I-T part- that was the best part for me, nered with the Phyllis Wheat- and then just watching the ley Community Center to give kids just enjoy themselves.” Riley, president of AT&T’s away 250 refurbished laptops and 250 backpacks filled with Upper Midwest States, said in school supplies to Minne- a statement that the giveaway apolis families affected by the was about giving students a digital divide. AT&T also do- fair shot at the school year. “Every student deserves nated $50,000 to the center to support its digital literacy the opportunity to start the school year with the tools and programs. “Nobody knew that they confidence they need to sucwere going to be receiving ceed,” Riley said. “We’re proud laptops today,” said Bryan D. to work with Human-I-T and
By Clint Combs Contributing Writer
the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center to surprise Minneapolis families with laptops and backpacks that will help students stay connected, engaged and ready to learn.” Tyner said the partnership came together through Eric
Howell, a Phyllis Wheatley board member with an existing relationship at AT&T. “He was able to tell them that we have this backpack giveaway event and was able to kind of put that partnership together,” Tyner said. “AT&T, they were already putting partnerships together to give away these backpacks and laptops. So it seemed like a natural fit for us, both for us and them.” The center turned the giveaway into a full community event, bringing in food trucks, a mobile clinic offering preschool and sports physicals and vaccinations, a gaming truck and a bouncy house for younger kids. “We try to make it into just more than just a backpack giveaway, but really a community event,” Tyner said. Tyner said the mission behind the giveaway was removing barriers that get in the way AT&T and Human-I-T surprised families with 250 free laptops and backpacks at the Phyllis Wheatley of kids succeeding in school. Community Center’s Back-to-School event Aug. 28 in Minneapolis. Photos courtesy of AT&T ■ See PHYLLIS on page 5
logs from undercover agents, and surveillance reports from Project Keyhole and Operasaac Sant feels confident tion Whipple Shield. "These things should be disthat the conspiracy charges against him and other Min- closed," Riach said. "These are nesota 15 defendants will not ordinary times. This is an extraordinary case." never go to trial. Special Assistant U.S. At"This is a politically motivated prosecution. I believe torney Sommer Honeycutt we're going to beat it," Sant argued that the government said outside the Minneapolis went well beyond the disfederal courthouse on Aug. covery requirements when 27. "It's going to get thrown providing attorneys with 20 out, and the movement's go- terabytes of data, including ing to get stronger for it." 16 terabytes of Signal data.
Supporters rallied outside the Minneapolis federal courthouse Aug. 27, 2026. Courtesy Sant's attorney, Kevin Ri"We have cast a wide net," ach, argued that the govern- Honeycutt said. ment still had not provided "That argument never lands the evidence the defense well with me," Magistrate needs to prove that the Jus- Judge David Schultz said. tice Department engaged in Riach noted that the governvindictive prosecution. ment's investigation extends Riach said the government far beyond Minnesota, pointing should turn over all com- out that SEIU Local 26 was one munications between local of 18 organizations featured prosecutors and the Justice on a grand jury slide, produced Department, text and call ■ See MN15 on page 5