Blackout Day 2020: The Economic Protest Explained

In a show of solidarity for the Black community, organizers encourage people to stop spending for a day on July 7 as a financial protest to systemic racism.

Facebook/ The Blackout Coalition
Facebook/ The Blackout Coalition

A day-long protest is taking place Tuesday as part of the nationwide Black Lives Matter demonstrations, but rather than marching in the streets, organizers are asking people to put away their wallets. 

Blackout Day 2020 is a day of solidarity in which organizers are encouraging Black people, people of color, and allies to not spend any money to show the economic strength of communities of color  And if people do have to buy something,organizers ask that they buy it from a Black-owned business. 

Organizer and activist Calvin Martyr announced the prospective economic blackout in May— a few weeks before George Floyd was killed in police custody, sparking a nationwide movement that has highlighted systemic racism and police brutality. 

According to its website, the movement is “an awakening of the national consciousness of Black people in America and abroad,” by withholding money as a form of protest. 

“Our ASK is that we have equal opportunity to access funding so that we can conduct business and practice group economics amongst ourselves,” the website reads. “Our ASK is that you stop murdering our leaders when they attempt to unite us as a people.” 

Blackout Day is meant to prove the financial power of the Black community, which organizers say accounts for more than $1.2 trillion in spending annually. 

“United, we are an unstoppable force. We are a nation of people within this nation that at any time,” the website continues. 

According to CNN, major businesses like Cisco and Procter & Gamble have offered support of Blackout Day 2020. Historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta as well as rapper T.I. have also shown their support. 

In the weeks since Floyd’s death, massive protests and dozens of petitions have demanded justice for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and other Black people who were killed at the hands of police. Protesters are calling to defund police departments, and politicians are introducing policy changes in response to the protests.

Several TV shows and movies are also being held accountable for historically racist content, including the use of Blackface. Brands are also revisiting their imagery and retiring racist depictions of Black and Indigenous people.