EXCLUSIVE: Why the Target Boycott Is Ending — Dr. Jamal Bryant Speaks With Black Beauty Founders

The announcement that the national Target boycott—referred to by organizers as the “Target Fast”—has officially ended is sparking immediate conversation across social media and within the Black business community.

For many Black founders whose products are sold inside Target stores, the movement created a complicated situation. While the campaign was designed to pressure Target’s corporate leadership, some entrepreneurs say the boycott also created financial strain for brands trying to grow inside the retailer.

To better understand the decision to end the boycott, Black Beauty Founders spoke directly with Dr. Jamal Bryant, one of the leaders behind the campaign.

Bryant said the boycott concluded after three of the four demands organizers presented to Target were met.

“We asked for four things and we got three of them,” Bryant told Black Beauty Founders.

What Bryant Says to Black Founders

Many Black entrepreneurs with products inside Target stores were caught in the middle of the national conversation.

Bryant told Black Beauty Founders the campaign never intended to discourage consumers from supporting Black-owned brands themselves.

“We never told our base not to support their businesses,” Bryant said. “We just told them, don’t buy it from Target.”

Instead, organizers encouraged consumers to purchase directly from founders whenever possible.

Bryant said more than 300,000 people who signed the boycott pledge were sent a digital directory of Black-owned businesses so they could continue supporting those companies directly.

“We partnered with the Black Business Association led by Ron Busby,” Bryant said. “The 300,000 people who took the pledge against Target—we sent them a digital directory of Black businesses all over the country because it was important for us to tell people not just what not to do, but also what to do.”

What Bryant Says the Boycott Accomplished

According to Bryant, the campaign was built around four specific demands directed at Target.

The first demand was a $2 billion investment back into the Black community.

“Target has done that with receipts and went above it and gave $2.1 billion,” Bryant said.

The second demand focused on expanding relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Bryant said that prior to the campaign Target had a presence on 27 predominantly white campuses but none at HBCUs. He says the company has now committed to partnerships with 12 HBCUs.

A third focus involved workforce opportunity.

Bryant pointed to Target’s “Belonging” initiative, which he says is designed to help minorities move from entry-level positions into senior leadership roles.

“With all of the jobs that were lost to Black women last year—somewhere in the order of 300,000, the highest unemployment Black people have had since the pandemic—we were glad to see some strides were made,” Bryant said.

One demand, however, has not yet been fulfilled.

Organizers also called for Target to partner with Black-owned banks. Bryant says the company is now in discussions with the National Bankers Association to identify possible banking partnerships.

Why Some Consumers Still Aren’t Returning

Despite the announcement that the boycott has ended, many consumers online say they still do not plan to return to Target.

Bryant said that decision ultimately belongs to consumers themselves.

“My job is not to get people to go back to Target,” he said. “I’m not a salesman for Target or an ambassador.”

Instead, Bryant said his responsibility was to report back to the community on whether the demands of the campaign had been met.

“If I asked for four things as a leader, it would be irresponsible for me not to report back what has been done,” he said.

Bryant also suggested that Target itself has not done enough to communicate its efforts publicly.

“Target has done a terrible job of talking about what they’re supposed to do,” he said.

Bryant added that timing also played a role in announcing the end of the boycott now.

He said Target has experienced four consecutive difficult financial quarters, which he believes were directly impacted by the boycott.

“In the next quarter they’re going to be able to ascribe the blame to the war in Iran and the dollar and the stock market that is tumbling every day,” Bryant said. “I wanted to separate ourselves from all those other outstanding issues.”

Target is expected to release its own statement following the organizers’ announcement.

For consumers watching closely, the broader conversation around corporate accountability and economic investment in Black businesses is likely far from over.