24 hour blackout begins Friday, February 28

by April Ryan & NNPA–“This is the start and the impact has to be measured beyond one day or month,” implored Marc Morial CEO and President of the National Urban League as everyday citizens, activists, churches and grassroots groups are preparing for an economic blackout slated for February 28th. The 24-hour blackout, prohibiting any purchasing, is an attempt to protest efforts to end DEI in corporate America and& the federal government.& The African American community alone has an almost two Trillion dollar buying power and when Black and brown communities are combined it is an almost 5 trillion dollar buying power.& Morial remembers the significance of boycotts in the 60s with the understanding that “the use of selective purchasing is meant to demonstrate the power of consumers to support businesses that share their values and is inspired by the lessons of the& Montgomery Bus Boycott. For 13 months African Americans refused to use any bus services because of the arrest of Rosa Parks for sitting in the White Section of a public bus in 1955.& The economic impact was felt as 90% of Black residents stayed off the buses.& The unexpectedly highly publicized grassroots boycott ended with the U.S. Supreme...