National Baptist Convention USA, the nation’s largest Black denomination, is under fire for accepting $300K from Target during national boycott
- IGMC Staff
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
The National Baptist Convention USA (NBCUSA) is facing criticism for forming a new partnership and accepting $300,000 from Target during a national boycott of the giant retailer.
Journalist and commentator, Roland Martin, lambasted the partnership and called on member churches of the NBCUSA to speak up.
The National Baptist Convention is the largest predominantly Black denomination in the nation, with approximately 31,000 churches and 7.5 million members, according to stats released by the organization.
The national boycott of Target came in response to the Minnesota retailer's rollback of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The boycott began to gain traction when Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church launched #TargetFast, a national call to abstain from patronizing Target for 40-day.
While the official 40-day "fast" has ended, many protesters and proponents of DEI have continued the boycott as an means to apply sustained pressure on Target.
Since the boycott, Target has reported a decline in sales and foot traffic inside its stores.
Critics argue that NBCUSA's partnership with Target undermines the DEI cause and the push for meaningful accountability. Moreover, they assert that $300K is a pittance for Target who made $4B in 2024.
The NBCUSA's partnership with Target is to continue for only 3-years.
While the NBCUSA never officially endorsed #TargetFast or the national boycott, many of its churches and members participated in and even championed the boycott.
Dr. Boise Kimber, the newly installed President of the NBCUSA, stated in the official partnership announcement that the NBCUSA "has been clear about our expectations and Target senior leaders have responded in a very positive way."
Dr. Kimber's announcement further explained, "Target's generous donation will help us to provide scholarships, support senior citizens, and invest in entrepreneurship programs that uplift our people and the future."
Dr. Kimber has yet to respond to the criticism leveled by Roland Martin and others.
To read the official press release announcing the partnership between the National Baptist Convention and Target, see below:
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