The National Urban League
Overview
The National Urban League (NUL), founded in 1910, is a civil-rights organization advocating for the needs of African-Americans throughout the United States. The organization’s mission, “to enable African-Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights,” is present throughout its community-based initiatives.
History
In 1911, three organizations—the Committee for the Improvement of Industrial Conditions Among Negroes in New York, the National League for the Protection of Colored Women and the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes—merged to form the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes.
By 1920, the name would take the shorter name National Urban League. The organization was founded by Ruth Standish Baldwin, a white philanthropist and Dr. George Edmund Haynes, the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Columbia University.
The purpose of the NUL was to help African-Americans participating in the Great Migration to find employment, housing and other resources once they’d reached urban environments.
Leadership and Organizational Achievements
In 1918, Eugene K. Jones assumed leadership of NUL, expanding its campaign to end employment discrimination. In 1923, as African-American writers and visual artists were emerging through the Harlem Renaissance, the NUL responded by launching Opportunity, a literary journal that included the works of visual artists, writers, social activists, and historians.
By 1949 the NUL appointed Lester Granger as its Executive Secretary. Under Granger’s tutelage, the organization continued to use the strategy of “education and persuasion” in helping to fight racism and discriminatory practices in the United States.
With this mission in mind, Granger and the NUL supported the campaign led by A. Philip Randolph and other civil rights leaders such as Bayard Rustin and A.J. Muste to have a March on Washington in protest discrimination in defense industries and the military.
In 1961, Whitney Young assumed leadership of NUL. As the Civil Rights Movement picked up steam, the NUL responded by becoming a leading partner in the movement. In 1963, the NUL organized planning meetings for the March on Washington.
In the ten years that Young led the NUL, the organization expanded its budget from $325,000 to $6.1 million through various fundraising efforts. Young used the influence of the NUL to push urban centers to attain assistance from the federal government to provide added resources in poor African-American communities. The NUL also persuaded corporations to increase its employment of African-Americans. Finally, under Young’s leadership, various programs were established to help deal with problems such as high school dropout rates.
For his efforts, Young was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Following Young’s death in 1971, Vernon Jordan became executive director of NUL. Jordan led a citizenship education program to help increase African-American voter participation. Jordan established several programs addressing issues such as environmental racism, energy, and employment opportunities for African-American women. Finally, Jordan created the State of Black America report, which is still considered one of the leading guides concerning African-Americans in the United States.
After serving as NUL’s executive director for ten years, Jordan resigned and was replaced by John Edward Jacob. Under Jacob’s leadership, the NUL petitioned against cuts in federal social programs, weakened civil rights enforcement and ending affirmative action programs.
Hugh Bernard Price served as executive director from 1994 until 2003 when Marc Morial was appointed as the organization’s leader.
The National Urban League Today
There are currently more than 100 local organizations affiliated with the National Urban League in 35 states and the District of Columbia. These local affiliates, along with the national headquarters continue to be advocates for African-Americans throughout the United States by creating partnerships with other organizations and fighting against racial discrimination.
Under Morial’s current leadership, the NUL has raised more than $10 million in funding to support its affiliate programs and another $127 million for small businesses.
Finally, Urban Influence magazine began publication in 2004. The purpose of the publication is to feature young African-American professionals, entrepreneurs and social activists. In addition, Morial publishes a weekly column “To Be Equal,” which is published in more than 400 news publications and websites.
The National Urban League (NUL), founded in 1910, is a civil-rights organization advocating for the needs of African-Americans throughout the United States. The organization’s mission, “to enable African-Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights,” is present throughout its community-based initiatives.
History
In 1911, three organizations—the Committee for the Improvement of Industrial Conditions Among Negroes in New York, the National League for the Protection of Colored Women and the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes—merged to form the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes.
By 1920, the name would take the shorter name National Urban League. The organization was founded by Ruth Standish Baldwin, a white philanthropist and Dr. George Edmund Haynes, the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Columbia University.
The purpose of the NUL was to help African-Americans participating in the Great Migration to find employment, housing and other resources once they’d reached urban environments.
Leadership and Organizational Achievements
In 1918, Eugene K. Jones assumed leadership of NUL, expanding its campaign to end employment discrimination. In 1923, as African-American writers and visual artists were emerging through the Harlem Renaissance, the NUL responded by launching Opportunity, a literary journal that included the works of visual artists, writers, social activists, and historians.
By 1949 the NUL appointed Lester Granger as its Executive Secretary. Under Granger’s tutelage, the organization continued to use the strategy of “education and persuasion” in helping to fight racism and discriminatory practices in the United States.
With this mission in mind, Granger and the NUL supported the campaign led by A. Philip Randolph and other civil rights leaders such as Bayard Rustin and A.J. Muste to have a March on Washington in protest discrimination in defense industries and the military.
In 1961, Whitney Young assumed leadership of NUL. As the Civil Rights Movement picked up steam, the NUL responded by becoming a leading partner in the movement. In 1963, the NUL organized planning meetings for the March on Washington.
In the ten years that Young led the NUL, the organization expanded its budget from $325,000 to $6.1 million through various fundraising efforts. Young used the influence of the NUL to push urban centers to attain assistance from the federal government to provide added resources in poor African-American communities. The NUL also persuaded corporations to increase its employment of African-Americans. Finally, under Young’s leadership, various programs were established to help deal with problems such as high school dropout rates.
For his efforts, Young was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Following Young’s death in 1971, Vernon Jordan became executive director of NUL. Jordan led a citizenship education program to help increase African-American voter participation. Jordan established several programs addressing issues such as environmental racism, energy, and employment opportunities for African-American women. Finally, Jordan created the State of Black America report, which is still considered one of the leading guides concerning African-Americans in the United States.
After serving as NUL’s executive director for ten years, Jordan resigned and was replaced by John Edward Jacob. Under Jacob’s leadership, the NUL petitioned against cuts in federal social programs, weakened civil rights enforcement and ending affirmative action programs.
Hugh Bernard Price served as executive director from 1994 until 2003 when Marc Morial was appointed as the organization’s leader.
The National Urban League Today
There are currently more than 100 local organizations affiliated with the National Urban League in 35 states and the District of Columbia. These local affiliates, along with the national headquarters continue to be advocates for African-Americans throughout the United States by creating partnerships with other organizations and fighting against racial discrimination.
Under Morial’s current leadership, the NUL has raised more than $10 million in funding to support its affiliate programs and another $127 million for small businesses.
Finally, Urban Influence magazine began publication in 2004. The purpose of the publication is to feature young African-American professionals, entrepreneurs and social activists. In addition, Morial publishes a weekly column “To Be Equal,” which is published in more than 400 news publications and websites.
