Operation Breadbasket

Operation Breadbasket was an organization dedicated to improving the economic conditions of black communities across the United States. Operation Breadbasket was launched on February 11, 1966, under the leadership of Jesse Jackson. Its primary objective was to promote the employment of African Americans by companies operating in black communities and support the growth of black-owned businesses. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described the core principle of Breadbasket as the belief that African Americans should not support businesses that denied them job opportunities, career advancement, or basic courtesy. To achieve their goals, the activists of Operation Breadbasket adopted a strategy called "selective patronage." They focused their initial campaign on dairy companies and supermarket chains. They organized pickets and encouraged boycotts of stores that carried products from the targeted companies, aiming to pressure them into improving their employment practices and support for the black community.^[1]

In 1967, Operation Breadbasket was established as a national organization, with King appointing Jackson as its national director. Within a year, the organization had successfully carried out over 40 boycotts, leading to the employment of more than 8,000 African American workers by various companies. However, although the operation achieved hiring agreements with several major corporations, it faced challenges in monitoring whether these companies actually fulfilled their commitments. Internal conflicts and the burden of responsibility on Jackson and the new leaders following King's assassination eventually led to the termination of Operation Breadbasket in December 1971.^[2]