Why Black church leaders are boycotting Target on anniversary of George Floyd's murder
- Black faith leaders are organizing protests at Target stores nationwide on May 25th, the anniversary of George Floyd's murder.
- The protests aim to pressure Target to reinstate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs cut earlier this year.
- Boycotts and negative public perception have impacted Target's reputation and financial performance.
Leaders in the Black faith community who have called upon their followers to boycott Target have announced a series of peaceful protests outside of Target stores on May 25 – the fifth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.
Pastor Jamal-Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, said his church will protest outside a Target in Conyers, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. Sixty-seven churches across the country will hold additional protests, he said during a May 18 church service. The protests are part of continue efforts to push Target to re-establish its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and other demands by organizers of what was originally called the Target Fast and is now called the Target Boycott, said Bryant, an activist and author.
Target is headquartered in Minneapolis where Floyd died and after his death, the retailer made a pledge to the Black community to boost efforts in inclusion, Bryant said in an interview with Paste BN. But since then, Target has fallen in the eyes of many in the Black community, Bryant said.
"They made this pledge not under political duress, not in response to protest, but we thought out of conscious and clean hands," Bryant said.
Target CEO Brian Cornell met with civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton on April 17 to discuss the boycotts. Sharpton called the meeting "constructive and candid" and said he would "inform our allies, including Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, of our discussion."
Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What is the Target boycott?
Soon after President Donald Trump took office in late January, Target announced it would end programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Initiatives axed include a program aimed at increasing representation of Black employees, as well as a commitment to source more products from Black-owned businesses. Target said it had already planned to end the programs, which it sets in three-year cycles.
Target is among more than 30 major retailers that ended DEI programs after Trump issued an executive order requiring both federal government and private companies to end "illegal DEI" efforts, although the difference between those and legal anti-discrimination efforts remains unclear.
Target has faced pushback from consumers upset with the DEI rollback. A national Target boycott in honor of Black History Month began Feb. 1, led by Minnesota activists. The ongoing Latino Freeze movement asks Latinos to stop spending money at Target and other major retailers that cut DEI. A 40-day boycott during Lent led by Black church leaders ended April 17.
Are the Target boycotts working? Here's what Target said
The boycotts have damaged Target's reputation, which the company acknowledged in its most recent annual report.
Every publicly traded company is required to file an annual report on financial performance with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Called Form 10-K, the report includes potential risks for investors. In Target's 10-K filing for fiscal year 2024, which ended in February, the company acknowledged the potential for boycotts to harm business.
"To be successful in the future, we must continue to preserve Target's reputation. Our reputation is largely based on perceptions," the document states.
The form goes on to acknowledge that Target "modified and concluded" certain of its DEI initiatives, leading to "adverse reactions" from some shareholders, customers and employees.
"As a result, we may experience adverse perceptions of our business, consumer boycotts, litigation, investigations, and regulatory proceedings. Any of these outcomes could negatively impact our reputation, results of operations, and financial condition," the form states.
Target's press office did not respond to a request for comment.
Has Target lost revenue from the DEI boycotts?
Target's net sales were down 2.8% compared with the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, according to the company's Q1 earnings report.
Foot traffic, or the amount of people entering Target stores, was also down.
In February 2025, the first month of boycotts, Target's foot traffic was down 9.5%, according to Placer.ai. The week of March 31, Target's store traffic was down 7.9% compared to the previous year, Newsweek reported. In Arizona, foot traffic in March was down 7% compared to a year ago, according to Placer.ai.
Target's stock price is also down. On April 14, it hit the lowest point in five years at $94. At the end of January, the price per share was $142.
Reach the reporter at reia.li@gannett.com. Follow @reia_reports on Instagram.