Black Boycott Costs Target $12B in Historic Protest

Target Loses $12 Billion —Biggest Boycott Since Montgomery Bus Protest

Inside of a Montgomery Transit Bus — Source: Bettmann / Getty

Target Loses $12 Billion Amid Black-Led Boycott—Biggest Since Montgomery Bus Protest

In what’s being widely recognized as the most impactful Black-led boycott since the Montgomery Bus Boycott of the 1950s, Target has suffered a staggering $12 billion loss in market value.

The ripple effects were swift: stock prices tumbled, and the company’s CEO saw his salary slashed by nearly half. And it all started with a unified community refusing to spend.

At the heart of this movement is a renewed focus on economic justice and buying power, led by Black organizers and everyday consumers who decided enough was enough. The digital front lines were powered by platforms like @miiriya_, a Black-owned marketplace app that promotes shopping from Black businesses and creators. Their viral posts and grassroots messaging helped ignite a widespread movement calling for economic withdrawal from companies perceived to be failing the Black community—Target being a key focus.

This boycott didn’t just trend—it translated into billions of dollars in real economic consequence.

While Target has yet to release a full statement addressing the financial fallout, the damage is already done. More importantly, the message has been delivered: Black consumers are not to be overlooked or taken for granted.

The comparisons to the Montgomery Bus Boycott are more than symbolic. That historic protest lasted over a year and reshaped American civil rights.

Today’s version happened in a digital world, but the strategy is rooted in the same core principle: collective financial action leads to real accountability.

The success of this boycott is a blueprint for future organizing.

It shows that through tech, social platforms, and intentional spending, Black economic power can shift markets. It also highlights the importance of supporting Black-owned alternatives like Miiriya, which not only gives consumers a place to shop with purpose but also reinforces a vision for long-term community sustainability.