By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. is facing mounting criticism after announcing a three-year, $300,000 partnership with Target, a company at the center of an ongoing boycott over its retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The deal, made public on June 20, is intended to support scholarships, senior programs, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. But national faith leaders, media figures, and everyday churchgoers are denouncing the move as a betrayal.

Target, a multi-billion-dollar retailer, has faced criticism in recent months after scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in response to political pressure. Religious leaders and activists who launched the boycott accuse the company of abandoning commitments to Black communities. Target told Black Press USA that it hadn’t abandoned those commitments.

However, critics maintain the company has turned its back on Black America. They argue that the partnership with one of the nation’s oldest Black faith organizations sends the wrong message.

Roland Martin, one of the country’s most prominent African American journalists and boycott supporter, called the move “a stunning act of betrayal to Black America.” He noted that with more than 31,000 churches affiliated with the convention, the $300,000 commitment amounts to less than $10 per church. “This is a $9.67 sellout,” Martin said. “You don’t get to speak for us when you never talked to us.”

Martin also criticized the lack of transparency and consultation. “The leadership of the National Baptist Convention made no effort to talk with, consult, or reach out to the leaders of the Target boycott,” he said. “They accepted $300,000 while the boycott is still active. That’s the definition of selling out Black people for crumbs.”

Others within the faith community quickly joined in. Pastor Jamal Bryant, who led the recent 40-day #TargetFast, said the partnership undermines the collective sacrifice made by churches and congregants who stood together against Target’s DEI backpedaling. “This boycott is the most successful economic protest by Black people in over 70 years,” Bryant said. “Target knows exactly what it’s doing. This isn’t partnership. It’s an attempt to fracture unity.”

Rev. Marcus D. Cosby of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston urged his congregation to continue to pressure Target. “We cannot be bought off,” Cosby said. “Support Black-owned businesses. Keep your dollars aligned with your values.”

The Inspirational Gospel Music Channel and Black Westchester media outlets described the deal as “a pittance from a multi-billion-dollar corporation” and warned that it “undermines the DEI movement.” They questioned how a corporation that cut ties with Black vendors and walked away from inclusion could regain trust by offering a symbolic donation.

On social media, backlash grew. The hashtag #NotMyNBC gained traction, with users calling the deal “a weak compromise” and “PR spin disguised as solidarity.” One Facebook post read, “If your church is one of the 31,000, demand your pastor explain taking dirty money.” Another user wrote, “Respectability over resistance. Silence over solidarity.”

NBCUSA President Dr. Boise Kimber has defended the deal, saying Target responded positively to their outreach and that the funds will help churches improve lives through education and economic empowerment. But that explanation has done little to ease tensions.

Critics argue that such partnerships should not be made without community input, especially during a boycott. They say the timing and the dollar amount only add insult to injury.

“This is not how you stand with your people,” Martin said. “This is how you chase a check while the rest of us are doing the work.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown