The Barnes & Noble Diverse Editions controversy erupted in early 2020 when the bookseller announced a project to celebrate Black History Month by redesigning the covers of famous classic novels, like Frankenstein and Moby Dick, with racially diverse protagonists. While intended to promote inclusion, the initiative was swiftly condemned by authors and activists as 'literary blackface' because it prioritized superficial aesthetic changes to white-authored stories over the promotion of actual Black writers. The backlash was so immediate and intense that the project was canceled within 24 hours. Today, the controversy is frequently referenced in memes to critique performative corporate activism and the irony of 'rebranding' the canon instead of diversifying it.