Pastor Organizes Memorial Day Protest At Retail Giant
Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia plans to lead a protest next Sunday to commemorate the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s death. Instead of a traditional Memorial Day observance, Bryant and his congregation will gather outside a Target store in Conyers, Georgia, for 9 minutes and 40 seconds of prayer and protest. The demonstration is meant to symbolize the length of time Floyd was pinned under former officer Derek Chauvin’s knee in May 2020. Sixty-seven other churches across the country are expected to join the coordinated effort by walking out of their services at noon in solidarity.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died during an arrest in Minneapolis that sparked widespread protests across the United States and around the world. The video of his death, showing him pleading for his life as Chauvin knelt on his neck, galvanized a global movement for racial justice. Chauvin was later convicted of murder. Although early reports stated Chauvin restrained Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, later investigations confirmed it was 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Bryant’s slightly longer protest duration, 9 minutes and 40 seconds, is intended to reflect the full extent of Floyd’s suffering.
This demonstration also aligns with Bryant’s ongoing campaign against Target, which he accuses of backing away from its commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As part of a 40-day boycott, Bryant and his supporters refrained from shopping at Target, demanding that the company fully honor a $2 billion investment pledge in Black-owned businesses, deposit funds in Black banks, restore DEI initiatives, and establish educational centers at HBCUs. While Target agreed to fulfill the $2 billion investment by the end of July, Bryant criticized the lack of commitment to the other demands.
Despite a meeting with Target’s CEO, which civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton described as productive, Bryant remained unsatisfied. He accused Target and other corporations of retreating from DEI programs due to political pressure, particularly from figures like former President Donald Trump. Many companies have reexamined their diversity policies following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision ruling race-based college admissions unconstitutional, though Bryant has not explained why Target is his primary focus.
Bryant believes that public protest and collective pressure are necessary to hold corporations accountable and continue the fight for racial justice. He hopes the Memorial Day weekend demonstration will draw national attention, both to Floyd’s memory and to ongoing social and economic issues impacting the Black community. By mobilizing churches and combining prayer with activism, Bryant aims to inspire reflection, unity, and action.