Progressive National Baptist Convention, Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, Joins Target Boycott

The Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) joined a nationwide boycott of Target Corporation during its annual conference in Chicago. According to a Chicago Crusader report, the boycott followed Target’s agreement with former President Donald Trump to eliminate its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives.

The boycott was announced at a press conference on July 21 at McCormick Place. PNBC President Rev. Dr. David Peoples made the announcement alongside prominent Black pastors, including Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III of Trinity United Church of Christ. The Chicago Crusader reported that the PNBC claims 2.5 million members across the United States.

Word&Way reported that the PNBC convened its annual meeting in Chicago with about 2,000 delegates. Delegates condemned the Trump administration’s budget bill, which they argued would disproportionately affect low-income individuals while favoring the wealthy. Rev. Willie D. Francois III, co-chair of the PNBC’s Social Justice Commission, described the legislation as a reflection of systemic issues.

Word&Way reported that Peoples endorsed ongoing boycotts against corporations that have allegedly failed to uphold DEI principles, including Target. The Chicago Crusader reported that Georgia pastor Jamal Bryant initiated the national boycott shortly after Trump’s inauguration, after Target eliminated its DEI initiatives. Word&Way described Bryant as an Atlanta-area pastor and reported his claim that the company had not met the campaign’s demands. The two accounts agree that Bryant leads the boycott effort, but they differ in how they describe the reason for it, and the Chicago Crusader presents Target’s agreement with Trump as the trigger.

Both reports describe the PNBC’s response beyond the boycott. Peoples announced a “buycott” campaign encouraging members to direct spending toward businesses that uplift Black communities. The Chicago Crusader reported that the PNBC plans to collaborate with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce on a digital directory of more than 150,000 Black-owned businesses, and that Bryant is partnering with the PNBC on the buycott.

The four-day conference included discussions on social justice and the impact of Trump’s policies on Black communities. Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, a Dallas pastor and co-chair of the PNBC’s Social Justice Commission, urged the Christian right to repent and align with justice (Micah 6:8).

PNBC leaders called for collaboration with religious and civic organizations to address the anticipated effects of the legislation. The Word&Way account of this call is cut off in the source material, so the specific organizations and plans it describes cannot be confirmed here.