Boycotts. Effective? Yes or No
A well-organized and sustained boycott can be a powerful tool for effecting change against injustice. Outrage will start the ball rolling, but these days, there is something new to spark outrage on an hourly basis. Here are a few examples of successful boycotts;
The grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers in 1965 successfully pressured grape growers to improve working conditions and raise the pay for farm workers. Millions of Americans showed solidarity by not purchasing grapes until the UFW signed its first union contracts.
In 1956 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on the bus. The entire Black community of Montgomery, Alabama responded with a boycott of the city’s buses for 381 days, nearly bankrupting the bus company. More importantly, this led to the Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public transportation was illegal; a significant victory for basic civil rights.
Refusal to buy grapes sends a message without imposing too much inconvenience, but imagine being dependent on public transportation to get to your place of employment. Refusal to ride the bus for 381 days takes a lot of personal fortitude. The movie The Long Walk Home, (1990), starring Whoopi Goldberg and Sissy Spacek portrayed the determination and resilience required for the boycott to succeed. It went far beyond the refusal to get on the bus.
What these examples have in common is specific demands with clear goals. Generalized calls to boycott large retailers or social media companies such as Meta are unlikely to produce a result. Strong community leadership along with a coordinated plan of action are needed to sustain pressure and build momentum. It takes time, energy, and the will to see it through.
February is Black History month. Under the current administration in the U.S, neither the Pentagon nor the State Department will recognize Black History month. This is their boycott. It’s up to our communities to refuse it.
Keep your joy.
Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger, unless it’s a holiday weekend. Or summertime.
Sign up for delivery direct to your email.
Loved this post! Such good points!
Thank you Barb!
Hard to keep your joy when an immoral idiot is running the US. He’s all about fear. I expect he’ll begin a campaign of hate Canadians soon.
Agreed. I take heart in the actions that are starting to mobilize against him. It is hard. It’s been labelled as a ‘cold civil war’ already. The more obnoxious he is, the more some (not all) but some of his followers will feel betrayed.
Let’s hope.
Thanks for commenting,
A.