‘Blackout Friday' urges boycott of major retailers
In cities like Memphis and on some social media sites, information has been spreading for weeks about a nationwide economic protest called Blackout Friday.
WREG talked to Joseph Kyles of Rainbow Push Coalition and Representative G.A. Hardaway of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators about the message they hope it will send.
Man charged with forging quitclaim deed to steal property
'Well, Rainbow Push Coalition along with other organizations. I know that action, National Network, with Reverend Al Sharpton, NAACP, and others are calling for a 'buycott,' not necessarily a boycott,' said Kyles.
'One is to demonstrate our purchasing power by denying it to the majority businesses, but also to demonstrate our purchasing power by supporting and promoting small businesses, Black businesses in particular,' said Representative G.A. Hardaway.
The call to action or 'inaction' is asking consumers to not make any purchases on Feb. 28 at major retailers, online retailers, grocery stores, and gas stations.
Bond denied for Timothy Herrington; state will not seek death penalty
'We'll be speaking out individually and collectively so that people of color and those white folks who are economically challenged will understand their power,' said Rep. G.A. Hardaway.
The protest comes as people continue to endure rising prices on everything from food, gas and housing.
'We had to battle Jim Crow, and now it's not so much your color of your skin, but it's your economics, it's your banking. It's where you get regular rates or prime rates,' said Kyles.
Some critics say that halting spending for a single day isn't likely to make much impact on major retailers, but organizers say it will draw attention to the fact that economic justice is needed.
'It's where you have the opportunity to save and invest or just live for the day. And so, we want people to be able to thrive and not just survive,' said Kyles. 'And so, we've got to have these economic disparities addressed.'
Organizers of Blackout Friday say they will also fight for better jobs, contracts, and other opportunities for people struggling in today's economy.Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
14 minutes ago
- The Hill
Stephen Miller blasts ‘stupid white hippies' protesting DC crackdown
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday railed against what he called 'stupid white hippies' who were protesting the federal crackdown on crime in the nation's capital and argued they did not represent the citizens of Washington, D.C. Miller, Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Union Station on Wednesday, where National Guard troops have been stationed outside for days in a show of force near the transportation hub. 'We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital,' Miller told the crowd near Shake Shack inside Union Station. 'And let's just also address another thing. All these demonstrators you've seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, they're not part of the city and never have been. And by the way, most of the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., are Black.' 'So we're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old,' he added. 'And we're going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C.' The Trump administration earlier this month began surging federal law enforcement across parts of the district to crack down on what the White House said was an unacceptable level of crime, despite statistics showing violent crime has declined in the city. Last week, Trump took federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops across the city to further the crack down on crime. The White House has said officers across the district have made more than 550 arrests since the surge in federal resources began on Aug. 7. But local residents have largely expressed disapproval with the aggressive moves from the federal government. A Washington Post-Schar School poll of 604 D.C. residents published Wednesday found 65 percent do not think Trump's actions will make the city safer. Roughly 80 percent of residents said they opposed Trump's executive order to federalize the city's police department.
Boston Globe
14 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to resign after ally accuses her of mortgage fraud
Pulte also charged in his letter that Cook has listed her condo in Atlanta, Georgia, for rent. Mortgages for homes used as principal residences typically carry lower interest rates than properties that are purchased to rent, Pulte's letter said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The allegation represents another front in the Trump administration's attack on the Fed, which has yet to cut its key interest rate as Trump has demanded. If Cook were to step down, then the White House could nominate a replacement. And Trump has said he would only appoint people who would support lower rates. Advertisement The more members of the Fed's governing board that Trump can appoint, the more control he will be able to assert over the Fed, which has long been considered independent from day-to-day politics. Trump will be able to replace Chair Jerome Powell in May 2026, when Powell's term expires. Yet 12 members of the Fed's interest-rate setting committee have a vote on whether to raise or lower interest rates, so even replacing the Chair doesn't guarantee that Fed policy will shift the way Trump wants. Advertisement All seven members of the Fed's governing board, however, are able to vote on rate decisions. The other five voters include the president of the Fed's New York branch and a rotating group of four of the presidents of the Fed's other 11 regional branches. Trump appointed two members of the Fed's board in his first term, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. Both dissented July 30 from the central bank's decision to keep its rate unchanged in favor of a rate cut. Another Fed governor, Adriana Kugler, stepped down unexpectedly Aug. 1, and Trump has appointed one of his economic advisers, Stephen Miran, to fill out the remainder of her term until January. If Trump is able to replace Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Fed's board, as well as Kugler and Powell, that would give him a clear majority on the board of governors. Powell, however, could stay on the board after finishing his term as chair next May. The Federal Reserve declined to comment on the accusation. Trump has for months demanded that the Federal Reserve reduce the short-term interest rate it controls, which currently stands at about 4.3%. He has also repeatedly insulted Powell, who has said that the Fed would like to see more evidence of how the economy evolves in response to Trump's sweeping tariffs before making any moves. Powell has also said the duties threaten to raise inflation and slow growth. Advertisement Trump says that a lower rate would reduce the government's borrowing costs on $37 trillion in debt and boost the housing market by reducing mortgage rates. Yet mortgage borrowing costs do not always follow the Fed's rate decisions. The Trump administration has made similar claims of mortgage fraud against Democrats that Trump has attacked, including California Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mississippi Supreme Court map violates Voting Rights Act, judge rules
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Mississippi to redraw its Supreme Court electoral map, after finding the map dilutes the power of Black voters. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock ruled the map, which was enacted in 1987, violates the Voting Rights Act and cannot be used in future elections. The Mississippi branch of the American Civil Liberties Union helped litigate the lawsuit, arguing the map cut Mississippi's Delta region — a historically Black area — in half. 'This win corrects a historic injustice," said Ari Savitzky, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Voting Rights Project. "All Mississippians will benefit from fair district lines that give Black voters an equal voice — and new generations of Black leaders an equal chance to help shape the state's future by serving on the state's highest court.' The lawsuit, which was filed on April 25, 2022, argued the map diminished the Black vote in the Central District. Aycock's ruling notes that only four Black people have served on the Mississippi Supreme Court. All of them held the same seat in the Central District and were first appointed to the position by a sitting governor. Aycock wrote that she will impose a deadline for the Mississippi Legislature to create a new map. The Mississippi Secretary of State's office said it is reviewing the 105-page order and will consider appealing the decision. Solve the daily Crossword
