By Terri Dillard
By now, many in the Black community have heard about the $300,000 donation from Target to the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. (NBCUSA) — the country’s largest Black religious denomination. What was supposed to be a gesture of corporate partnership has instead become a lightning rod for controversy.
At the heart of the outrage? The timing. Target’s donation comes in the middle of a national boycott sparked by its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. And while the NBCUSA’s leadership frames this partnership as a win for the community, many others see it as a painful example of financial gain trumping principle.
When Timing Says Everything
Let’s be clear: the outrage isn’t just about a dollar amount. It’s about what that $300K represents. While Target walks back its public commitments to DEI, some of the very communities most affected by systemic inequities are still showing up, still boycotting, still pushing for real change.
And now, they’re asking: why would NBCUSA — an institution that claims to represent them — choose this moment to align itself with Target?
Journalist Roland Martin called the deal a “betrayal.” For many, that’s not hyperbole. It’s a reflection of the sense that the denomination has chosen corporate access over the collective voice of its people.
Division Within the Faith Community
This controversy has also uncovered a widening divide among Black faith leaders.
NBCUSA President Dr. Boise Kimber defended the deal, pointing to the potential benefits: scholarships, support for seniors, entrepreneurship programs. On the surface, these are worthy goals. But critics like Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant — senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and a leading figure in the boycott — argue that community advancement shouldn’t come at the cost of standing on shaky moral ground.
Bryant has been a fierce advocate for the Target boycott, which began as a symbolic fast during Lent and has since grown into a larger movement pushing back on corporate backpedaling around equity. His stance is echoed by many younger, socially conscious believers who are tired of performative alliances and are demanding long-term change.
The Bigger Picture: Economic Resistance Still Works
The Target boycott has already had an impact: $1 billion in lost valuation, and a reported 43% salary cut for the CEO. Rev. Al Sharpton reminded us that the Montgomery Bus Boycott wasn’t just about buses — it was about changing systems. This moment echoes that same strategy: hit companies where it hurts until they listen and change course.
So when a respected institution like NBCUSA enters into a partnership while that pressure is mounting, it sends mixed signals. It says that some leaders may be willing to accept short-term funding over long-term progress.
“Who Has the Plan?”
Rev. Bryant recently said, “We’ve got to shift from who’s got the mic to who’s got the plan.” He’s right. In a moment where social justice is being commodified and sold back to us in corporate packages, we can’t afford to be distracted by PR. We need strategy. We need unity. And we need accountability — even from our own institutions.
The conversation should not just be about what corporations are doing wrong, but how we respond when our own organizations decide to look the other way.
This Isn’t Just About Target
This is about more than one partnership or one denomination. It’s about the role of Black institutions in shaping the moral and economic direction of the community. It’s about whether we’re willing to hold ourselves to the same standards we demand from the outside world.
And it’s about trust. Because if the people can’t trust their own leaders to take a stand when it counts, what comes next?
The NBCUSA–Target deal is a wake-up call. It’s a chance for a deeper conversation about integrity, strategy, and the kind of leadership this moment truly requires.
Let’s not just focus on who’s getting the check — let’s focus on who’s protecting the vision.
What are your thoughts on the NBCUSA–Target partnership? Drop a comment below and join the conversation.
