By Benjamin F Chavis Jr. Op Ed:
For over 198 years the Black Press and the Black Church have joined together for causes of freedom, justice, equality, equity, and empowerment. Today more than ever before there is renewed urgency for the Black Church and the Black Press to publicly amplify our mutual interests to protect and maintain the hard-fought gains and progress that has been accomplished by African Americans in the last two centuries.
On the record, “We are not going back in America and nowhere else in the world in 2025.” We have already suffered too much from the vicious unprecedented genocide, terrorism, and crimes against humanity during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, global imperialism, racism, colonialism, neocolonialism, reconstruction and Jim Crow, mass incarceration, and present day repressive policies and Executives Orders in an attempt to erase our history and legacy with libelous actions and falsehoods.
The prophetic voice of the Black Church continues to resonate with historic and contemporary inspiration and power. Together we are resolutely demanding respect from Target and those companies that make billions of dollars from our consumership.
We are not begging. We are demanding respect and an equitable business relationship with Target and corporate America. From executive decision makers to marketing and promotions account managers, to Human Resources directors, and to the shareholders of the companies, we demand economic restoration and respect.
We salute the bold leadership of The Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant and the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta and other Black Church leaders across the nation who are standing up and preaching liberation theology.
TARGET will continue to be our target. We in the Black Press of America will continue our public education and selective buying campaign. No respect, no buying. No justice, no peace.
May God continue to bless the Black Church and the Black Press.
Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association and BlackPressUSA
