
Prompted by George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020, major retail companies touted their commitment to racial justice. Some publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement. The Vermont-based ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s went further and issued a list of actions aimed at “dismantl[ing] white supremacy in all its forms.”
Popular clothing company Ralph Lauren launched its own initiatives in 2020 and most recently in March 2022 when it announced a partnership with two historically Black colleges to design a commemorative clothing line. The Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges Collection is the brainchild of two company staffers, Morehouse alum James Jeter and Spelman alum Dara Douglas.