The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), representing the Black Press of America, hereby reiterates our profound disgust and unwavering opposition to the continued disrespect shown toward Black America by Target Corporation.
Two months ago, the NNPA launched a National Selective Buying and Public Education Campaign in response to Target’s blatant retreat from its stated commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This campaign is not simply about economic protest; it’s about justice, dignity, and the unyielding demand for respect.
As far back as October 2024, we sent a formal letter to Target CEO Brian Cornell detailing the company’s persistent refusal to invest in Black-owned newspapers and media outlets. That letter was met with silence. Silence, in the face of truth, is complicity. By ignoring our appeal, Mr. Cornell and Target have made clear that they do not value the voices, institutions, or the economic power of Black America.
Let us be clear: We will not shop where we are disrespected. Our dollars will not finance our own marginalization. The Black Press has, for over 198 years, amplified the stories and struggles of our communities when others would not. Yet in 2025, major corporations like Target continue to bypass us in favor of performative gestures and hollow statements.
We therefore announce the continuation and intensification of the target-TARGET national selective buying campaign. We call upon all freedom-loving people from across all segments of society who believe in economic justice, media equity, and corporate accountability to join us.
To those companies who do embrace the inclusion of their diverse consumer base, we say this: Stand with us not just in words, but in deeds. Show your commitment by investing in our communities, supporting our businesses, and partnering with Black-owned media companies that have long carried the mantle of truth, justice and advocacy.
This is not just about advertising. This is about visibility. This is about representation. This is about the moral obligation of “good corporate citizenship” by honoring its promises not with press releases, but with action.
The time for silence is over. The time for selective buying is now.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). This piece was originally published on the NNPA Newswire.
For more information, visit www.nnpa.org.
The boycott against Target needs to be permanent. It seems that many people forget that corporations are essentially machines that thrive on profits, and that’s all. A national corporation like Target will never be a part of a community, will never have ‘feelings’, etc. They all come and go as they please. Anything like DEI, or public statements, what-have-you, are just PR moves. They just want people to keep coming there to shop.
We all need to join the fight, make better choices on where we shop, keep money in the community, buy with cash so banks don’t take more money away from us all. If necessary, make that extra effort to carpool with friends, be willing to travel the extra distance to go to a better store, perhaps share membership at Costco, etc. I know that prices are often higher at independent businesses, and lower-income people will typically shop out of necessity where the prices are the lowest, but we can all try to readjust our thinking, and buy what we need, not what we want.