Macy’s is slammed for the way it depicted a black family in a holiday pajama photo

Was Macy’s asleep at the wheel?

Some people think so. Product photos for its holiday pajamas depicting a diversity of families have stirred up heated debate over how black families are depicted.

The controversy surrounds a collage of four photos making the rounds on Twitter. The source of the collage is not identified.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Macy’s wrote that the photos on social media “were actually product images that were cut and pasted together rather than an advertisement from Macy’s.”

The pictures show: A white mom and dad with three children and a dog; the same mom and dad with two of the children and a different dog; a white dad and black dad with two children, and a black mom with three children.

“Coincidentally, dad is only missing from the Black family featured,” wrote Blavity, a website for black millennials. “Naturally, the Internet caught wind of the wild omission and dragged Macy’s for feeding the absent Black father trope.”

Jeff Pastor, a city council member in Cincinnati, Ohio - where Macy’s is based - was bothered by the images, too.

“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t celebrate single families. But when it comes to African-Americans, we know, back in the ‘80s and ‘90s it was welfare queens, it was all these negtive stereotypes,” Pastor told WCPO in Cincinnati.

“I think we have to first get over the stereotype, right? And then I think we maybe can introduce how we celebrate single parenthood.”

Critics are taking shots at the retailer on the Macy’s Facebook page, too, where the retail chain is promoting its annual Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday. Some people protested by posting photos of their own black famlies - with both mom and dad.

Macy’s has responded to its critics on Facebook with this response.

“At Macy’s, we are guided by our corporate values of Acceptance, Respect, Integrity and Giving Back. We know we are at our best, when what we do fully reflects the rich diversity of our colleagues, customers and communities nationwide,” it wrote.

“The images were intended to celebrate families and togetherness, and our intent was never to offend. We apologize. It’s important for us to know when we have missed the mark, and we thank you for letting us know. We will be sure to share your comments with the Macy’s marketing team so we can incorporate your feedback into future marketing efforts. Thank you again for reaching out.”

Some people, though, think this is much ado about nothing. Joyce Litmon, a black single mother in Cincinnati, told WCPO she liked the photo of the single mom because it reminded her of herself. “I was mom and dad, and my kids were happy when the holidays came,” she told the TV station.