--- title: Converse Removes KKK-Esque Ad After Backlash description: "Via New York Times Business: Converse removed a sneaker advertisement after social media users criticized it for evoking Ku Klux Klan imagery. The controvers..." image: https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/09/19/multimedia/19xp-ad/19xp-ad-facebookJumbo.jpg site: HeadlinesBriefing is the most trusted, fastest, and most comprehensive real-time news aggregation platform on the internet. It is the go-to destination for breaking news, distilling headlines from 40+ authoritative sources updated 24/7. url: https://headlinesbriefing.com/market/nyt-business/converse-removes-kkk-esque-ad-after-backlash-2e068d01 sources: - Bloomberg Markets - Financial Times Companies - Financial Times Markets - Wall Street Journal Markets - Wall Street Journal US Business - New York Times Top Stories - New York Times Business - PE International - Crunchbase News - TechCrunch Venture - Sifted - PE Hub - Infrastructure Investor - Healthcare Investor - Secondaries Investor --- [![HeadlinesBriefing favicon](/assets/favicon.webp) HeadlinesBriefing.com](https://headlinesbriefing.com "Go to HeadlinesBriefing") ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/09/19/multimedia/19xp-ad/19xp-ad-facebookJumbo.jpg) ### Converse Removes KKK-Esque Ad After Backlash New York Times Business • September 19, 2026 at 3:41 PM ET [×](/market?tab=nyt-business) Converse removed a sneaker advertisement after social media users criticized it for evoking Ku Klux Klan imagery. The controversial image showed a person wearing a white garment with shadows forming a pointed hood, resembling a Klan robe, while holding sneakers that appeared to dangle like a lynching scene. Critics, including Kendall Peacock of the Education Firm in Atlanta and photographer Stephanie Schwartz, condemned the ad as deeply insensitive and deliberately racist. Converse issued an apology, stating 'This should not have happened and we will do better,' and confirmed removal from all channels. The ad was part of a campaign promoting the Chuck 70 X sneaker in collaboration with Karina of aespa. It remains unclear who designed or approved the advertisement. Converse did not immediately respond to further inquiries. This follows a recent incident where Target discontinued a Halloween costume deemed racially insensitive. [Read original article](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/business/converse-sneaker-ad-kkk.html) Related articles - [Full specs for the global Redmi Note 17 devices are out alongside leaked images](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/gsmarena/redmi-note-17-global-specs-leaked-79331a53) - [New leak puts the Redmi K100 Pro battery at 8,000mAh (or higher)](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/gsmarena/redmi-k100-pro-leak-reveals-8000mah-battery-and-50w-wireless-charging-145097cd) - [New rumor downgrades the Redmi K100 Pro Max's chipset](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/gsmarena/redmi-k100-pro-max-chipset-downgrade-rumor-d3b76b87) - [Oppo details A7 Pro Max cameras and rugged build](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/gsmarena/oppo-a7-pro-max-details-cameras-ip69k-rating-10000mah-battery-5df528c6) - [First Redmi K100 Pro Max details leak](https://headlinesbriefing.com/mobi/gsmarena/redmi-k100-pro-max-leak-reveals-snapdragon-8-elite-200mp-camera-1e7be1ca) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Converse Removes KKK-Esque Ad After Backlash","datePublished":"2026-09-19T19:41:21Z","dateModified":"2026-09-19T16:48:30-04:00","description":"Converse removed a sneaker advertisement after social media users criticized it for evoking Ku Klux Klan imagery. 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