By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Two months after launching a nationwide selective buying and public education campaign against Target, the Black Press of America said it remains firm in its demand for accountability, even as its leader expresses cautious optimism about future engagement with the retail giant. “I am personally optimistic that as we continue our public education and selective buying campaign that, in the near future, there will be constructive dialogue between Target and the Black Press of America,” said Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 250 African American-owned newspapers and media companies across the country.

The NNPA, which is the trade association of the 198-year-old Black Press of America, initiated the National Selective Buying and Public Education Campaign in direct response to Target’s public retreat from its stated commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). According to Chavis and NNPA Chair Bobby Henry, the campaign is not simply an economic protest but a broader stand for justice, dignity, and respect. “As far back as early 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,” Chavis has said. “Silence, in the face of truth, is complicity.”

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Although Cornell has yet to respond directly, Target officials have recently indicated a willingness to engage with the NNPA. Still, the campaign remains active as the Black Press and its allies continue to press for concrete action. “On behalf of the Black Press of America, we believe we’ve seen a continuation of the impact that our selective buying and public education program has had concerning Target,” Chavis added. “The truth is we are observing what options that Target may employ as a long-term restoration and resolution of the issues that have been valiantly raised by the Black Press, the Black church, civil rights organizations, and by the residents of Minneapolis where Target’s headquarters are located.”

Stacy M. Brown

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