The year-long Target boycott organized by Black activists is over or it’s not — depending on who you ask.
Atlanta Pastor Jamal Bryant announced on March 11 that the boycott was ending after organizers achieved “small wins” against the Minneapolis-based retailer.
“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 during a news conference that streamed live from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
He told supporters Target had agreed to invest millions of dollars in Black-led community organizations and HBCUs. But he admitted the company would not reinstate its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which it rolled back in early 2025, prompting the boycott.
Bryant’s announcement drew backlash online, with critics asking why the boycott was ending if Target still refused to restore its DEI program.
Now, boycott co-founders Nekima Levy Armstrong, Jaylani Hussein, and Monique Cullars-Doty are insisting the protest “remains active nationwide.”
In a statement to Urban Hollywood 411, the trio said they wanted to “clarify” the situation after initially launching the boycott in Minnesota.
“The Target boycott is not over,” said Armstrong. “This is a grassroots movement led by communities demanding corporate accountability, and we will not stop until Target reverses its retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
“The power of this movement is in everyday consumers who are refusing to support a company that walked away from its commitments to equity,” added Cullars-Doty. “Until those commitments are restored, the boycott continues.”
The three activists said they launched the boycott on Feb. 1, 2025 in Minneapolis.
Bryant called for a “40 day fast” against the company over Lent during the Feb. 2, 2025 service at Atlanta’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, as previously reported.
His announcement drew national media attention after Atlanta news outlets picked up the story.
Once the “fast” ended, Bryant called for a “full boycott” and urged African Americans nationwide to avoid the retailer.
Target said it was rolling back its diversity policies in early 2025, after President Trump pushed for the private sector to end what he called “illegal” programs promoting diversity.
While Target wasn’t the only company to dismantle its DEI program, Bryant said Black people “spend $12 million per day” at the retailer and felt betrayed.
Earlier this month, Yahoo Finance reported Target’s same-store sales fell 2.6% in 2025.
Discover more from Urban Hollywood 411
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
