Arlington Mom Shopping for Halloween Shocked to Find Confederate Soldier Children’s Costumes at Party Store

Party City is racing to clear its shelves of children’s costumes celebrating the Confederacy.

An Arlington, Virginia mom of two adopted Black children, was shocked to find the Party City store at Bailey’s Crossroads selling Civil War rebel costumes emblazoned with the Confederate flag.

Caroline Brasler goes all out for Halloween with her daughters Meredith, 12, and Olivia, 10.

On the way back from gymnastics practice Sunday, she stopped at the Bailey’s Crossroads Party City looking for costumes. At the end of aisle two, she spotted something she could scarcely believe.

“The Confederate flag to me is a symbol of racism. To have that out there for a child to wear on Halloween sends so many horrible messages,” she said.

Just below the pilgrim and Ulysses Grant costumes was one costume called “Confederate Officer.” The other, with a bearded Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Both of their wide-brimmed hats were emblazoned with the Confederate flag, which has caused so much pain in the African American community.

Party City is selling Confederate costumes in its Bailey’s Crossroads, Va store. Is this acceptable in this day and age? @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/6bIemqyvnq

— Bruce Leshan (@BruceLeshan) September 21, 2020

“I’m the adoptive parent of two beautiful African American girls … We discuss race, we respect race. And to see something like that just flies in the face of everything I try to teach them to be proud young women,” said Brasler.

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The costumes don’t come up on the Party City website, but they were still in at least the Bailey’s Crossroads store as of Monday afternoon. They are also available from many other retailers nationally, including from Amazon.

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