Organizers of a national boycott against Target said Wednesday they are ending the year-long protest that started after the retailer dismantled its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Activists and faith leaders announced the boycott would wind down during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on March 11. The Root streamed the gathering live on social media and it can be found here.
Atlanta Pastor Jamal Bryant said organizers achieved “small wins” against the Minneapolis-based company, although Target is not reinstating its DEI program.
“We are effectively, today, closing this chapter because we have other fights that we’ve got to see and other things that we’ve got to tackle,” Bryant said.
According to the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor, the decision to halt the boycott came after Target pledged to move forward with a previously announced $2 billion investment in Black-owned businesses, that was pledged after the death of George Floyd in 2020.
Bryant said Target will complete “a billion” dollar investment “by Easter.”
He added that the company agreed to:
-Provide $100 million in grants to Black-led community organizations.
-Invest $10 million to the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design in Detroit — described as the only historically Black design school in the country.
-Donate more than $18 million to the United Negro College Fund.
-Donate $8 million to the “Target Scholars” program, with the money going toward internships, mentoring HBCU students on job interview skills, and teaching them how to scale a business.
While Target’s DEI rollback remains, the company said it is “more committed than ever to creating growth and opportunity for all.”
“We’re pleased to be moving forward, and we will continue showing up as trusted neighbors while delivering results for our team members, guests and the more than 2,000 communities in which we serve,” Target said in a statement to USA Today on Wednesday, March 11.
The boycott started when Bryant called for a “40 day fast” against the company, beginning on March 5, 2025, after the retailer dismantled its DEI program.
At the time, Bryant urged his congregation to avoid the retail giant for Lent — a period of 40 days of prayer and fasting — that many Christians observe before Easter.
The following month, Bryant announced a full boycott of the company, and urged African Americans nationwide to avoid the company.
“We ain’t going back in there,” Bryant said during his church’s Easter service, while parishioners wearing “stay on Target” shirts stood behind him [shown above].
Target said it was ending its diversity policies in early 2025, after President Trump ordered all programs promoting DEI in the federal government be terminated, and pushed for the private sector to end what he called “illegal” programs promoting diversity.
While a number of other company’s rolled back their DEI programs in response, Bryant said the Target boycott was launched because “Black people across the country spend $12 million per day” at the retailer.
As the boycott dragged on, Target said same-store sales fell 2.6% in 2025, according to Yahoo Finance.
The company’s stock price dropped, it laid off hundreds of employees, and named a new CEO.
Citing Bloomberg figures on Wednesday, Bryant said Target’s “valuation had dropped by $12 billion” since the boycott started.
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