The Rev. Jamal Bryant recently served as the guest preacher during a special prayer service at Metropolitan AME Church in Northwest D.C. on Aug. 28—the 62nd anniversary of the historic March on Washington.
During his remarks, he urged the Black Church to take the lead in a moral revival and confront white supremacy, urging African Americans to join an ongoing protest against Target and other companies that have eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Bryant, a pastor and activist, started a 40-day “Target Fast” during the 2025 Lenten season after Target yielded to the 47th president’s executive order banning DEI programs within the federal government.
The fast has since evolved into an ongoing boycott and, according to Bryant, more than 200,000 people have pledged to join the protest, which has impacted Target’s stock and market value.
But instead of coming to the table and agreeing to any concessions, Target has chosen to play a game of “musical chairs,” changing its leadership but not its policies.
Bryant says we are being played by Target and has urged the Black community to ramp up efforts and refuse to shop at the chain.
He has also widened the focus of the protest/boycott to include Cracker Barrel whose “Old Timer” logo, has long been criticized for evoking, if not celebrating, memories of American slavery.
On Aug. 19, Cracker Barrel unveiled a new logo, a rebranding effort, reportedly part of an initiative to modernize the brand and appeal to a younger, more diverse customer base. But by Aug. 26, the company announced that it would return to its former logo after public outrage from conservatives said the chain was bending to “woke” culture. White backlash was so intense that Cracker Barrel yielded in just one week.
Meanwhile, the protest against Target continues. But we cannot give up.
Boycotts can be effective, but success depends on sustained, widespread participation, clear communication of specific demands, and a company’s vulnerability.
Historians often cite the Montgomery Bus Boycott as an example of how boycotts can be effective. But that protest lasted 381 days and was only resolved after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling that bus segregation was unconstitutional. The city bus company, despite suffering significant financial losses, was unwilling to do the right thing and treat its Black patrons with the same respect afforded its white riders.
Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. But with persistence and a united front, we shall overcome.