John Taylor is one of several African American Costco shoppers who was reminded of pre-Civil Rights discrimination when they saw a African American doll with a hat labeled 'Lil Monkey' on the Greensboro, NC stores shelves this month.
Costco has decided to pull the doll, which is manufactured by Brass Key Keepsakes and sold exclusively to Costco. While many African American shoppers were instantly offended by the doll, others had a different reaction.
"When I first look at it, no I don't think anything about it, but now that I see the 'Lil monkey', yes I can see how that could probably present a problem," said Teresa Slaughter. Brass Key Keepsakes said the racial insensitivity wasn't apparent because the dolls are part of a set of three that also portray white and Hispanic ethnicities.
Anyway you look at it, this incident demonstrates a need for more racial sensitivity.
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