By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (Cracker Barrel) recently found itself thrust into the spotlight after a rebranding effort sparked widespread backlash. On Aug. 19, the Southern-inspired restaurant chain unveiled a new logo that featured its name in brown letters against a gold background and removed the silhouette of a man known as Uncle Herschel” sitting in a rocking chair next to a barrel.
The change was said to be a part of a broader initiative to modernize the brand and appeal to a younger, more diverse customer base. But, by Aug. 26, Cracker Barrel announced that it would return to its former logo. The reversal was sparked by public outrage from conservatives, who were convinced that the chain was trying to appease “woke” culture.
Critics of Cracker Barrel’s “Old Timer” logo, including the Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., have pointed out that it evokes memories of American slavery.
“It reeks of the Antebellum. It has the aroma of the Civil War, from rocking chairs to molasses being sold by the cash register,” said Bryant, in an interview with the AFRO. “White people were, in large numbers, up in arms about the removal of the logo. What’s amazing is that they were focused on the ‘barrel,’ and we were focused on the ‘cracker.’ They were saying in no uncertain terms that they wanted both of them there.”
Amid a decline in its stock and growing controversy, Cracker Barrel swiftly brought back its original design. As Bryant pointed out, this move stands in stark contrast to major retailer Target, which has ignored months of pressure from the Black community to reinstate racial equity initiatives.
“What is significant is with White outrage it only took two weeks for them to change the logo back,” said Bryant. “Our Black disappointment still has not yielded any results in five months.”
Target holds firms as Black community boycott continues
Bryant is no stranger to speaking out against corporate America. When Target announced that its leader of 11 years, Brian Cornell, would no longer serve as CEO of the company, some thought it was evidence of the retailer trying to course correct after losing nearly $12 billion in market value since March. But, Cornell did not step down—he stepped up.
In February 2026, Cornell will become the executive chair of Target’s board of directors. Rev. Bryant, who has led a nationwide boycott of Target in response to its rollback of racial equity efforts, sees the move not as a reset but as reinforcement of the company’s current direction.
“It is the rewarding of bad behavior. As chair of the board, he has more influence on the direction and ideology of the company, and he gets a pay raise,” said Bryant. “They’re flagrantly saying, ‘Let’s play the violins while the Titanic is going down.’ This is not a strategic move to help bolster Target; it is them standing 10 toes down and saying that this is where we’re going to stay, and everybody else just has to deal with it.”
Following the 47th president’s executive order banning diversity, inclusion and equity programs within the federal government, Target followed suit on Jan. 24, announcing the end of its Racial Equity and Change (REACH) initiatives. As a result, Bryant, an activist and pastor who formerly led Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, started a 40-day “Target Fast,” urging the Black community to forgo shopping from the company during the 2025 Lenten season.
Because Target refused to reinstate its racial equity commitments, the fast has evolved into an ongoing boycott. More than 200,000 people have signed Bryant’s pledge so far, and Target’s stock and market value have dropped significantly.
Though Bryant is continuing to encourage the Black community to avoid shopping at the retailer, he acknowledged that African Americans who work for Target are in a tough position, especially in light of the economic challenges households are facing across the nation. He advised employees to continue collecting their checks while searching for new employment.
“From March to now, with the rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs. Unemployment in our community is really at a sour end under this administration,” said Bryant. “I was raised old school—don’t quit your job until you get one. I would ask them to maintain and to collect, but at the same time, start looking for other options.”
Even if Target were to bring back racial equity initiatives, Bryant is uncertain about whether the retailer will ever be able to fully regain the trust of the Black community.
“The reality is, even if we come to an accord today with Target, there are many Black people who have vowed they’re never going back,” said Bryant. “It only takes 30 days to create a habit, we’ve been at it for five months. The yeoman’s responsibility…now rests on shoulders.”
