New York, NY, July 19, 2004—U.S. Secretary of Education, the Honorable Rod Paige will address the National Urban League\'s 2004 Annual Conference on Thursday, July 22, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial announced today. Secretary Paige will address the conference on The Role of American Business in the Education and Retraining of Workers for 21st Century Jobs. Dr. Kenneth S. Burnley, Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Public Schools will join the Secretary. This year\\\'s conference theme is "Empowerment: Building on the Civil Rights Movement." The conference will convene July 21 through July 25 at COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. Registration is now open and available via website at www.nul.org and by telephone at (800-263-9926).

The National Urban League is the nation\\\'s largest civil rights and community based organization. With over 100 affiliates in 35 states, the National Urban League serves 2 million people in the African American and urban communities nationwide through direct services, advocacy and research.

"Clearly the intersection between an adequate education, increased job training and outsourcing must be examined if we are to address the job shortage currently facing the nation and adequately prepare our workers for global competition," said Marc H. Morial, National Urban League President and CEO. "The conference will explore the crisis in our schools, the need for the retraining of black and minority workers and the long-term benefits of American business involvement in education and retraining efforts."

More than 3 million U.S. manufacturing jobs were lost between 1998 and 2003, with 2.7 million lost since 2000; a majority of the job loss a result of outsourcing. Traditionally African Americans have been employed in high numbers in the industry. Detroit, known as the headquarters of the automotive "Big Three," is one of the northeastern cities that have experienced significant manufacturing job loss as a result of outsourcing.

In addition to its rich history as the birthplace of the Motown Sound, the city is in the midst of a renaissance. Detroit has embarked on one of the country\\\'s largest urban developments including the new Detroit Metro airport, three new casinos, and a new sports stadium. It is also the headquarters of twenty of Black Enterprise magazine top 100 black owned businesses, and home to Julian Scott, the nation\\\'s sole black-owned department store.

The Detroit Urban League, under president and CEO N. Charles Anderson, is the host affiliate for this year\\\'s event and G. Richard Wagoner, GM\\\'s chairman and CEO, will serve as the 2004 Conference General Chairperson. Roderick D. Gillum, Vice President, Corporate Diversity, General Motors is the Host Committee Chairman.

Blockbuster Inc sponsors The Role of American Business in the Education and Retraining of Workers for 21st Century Jobs. The 2004 conference marks the return to Detroit, \\\'the Motor City,\\\' for the first time in sixteen years.

Conference activities include free entrance to the Exhibit\\\'s Hall five new Empowerment Zones. The Empowerment Zones in Health, Employment, Technology, Homeownership and Fun (Education & Learning), feature over 400 booths, Fortune 500 businesses, leading national, state and government agencies and nonprofits, among others, along with an Entertainment Stage where talented local artists will perform throughout the day. The Employment Zone\\\'s career fair will allow prospective job seekers to have face-to-face discussions and interviews with recruiters from 100-plus top corporations, nonprofits and government agencies.

Other conference highlights include the Keynote address by National Urban League President Marc H. Morial, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 21; and an appearance by President George Bush, Friday, July 23 at 9:00 a.m. and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry, Thursday, July 22 at 10:00 a.m.

Other speakers and guest appearances include, Rosa Parks, mother of the modern-day civil rights movement; the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr, President & Founder, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; Dave Bing, NBA legend, Chairman & CEO, The Bing Group; Earl G. Graves, Sr., Chairman and CEO, Earl G. Graves, Ltd.; Ann Fudge, Chairman and CEO, Young & Rubicam Inc; Roderick D. Gillum, VP/Corporate Diversity, General Motors Corporation; Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick; the Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder, the National Action Network; Cathy L. Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc; Linda Johnson Rice, President & CEO, Johnson Publishing Company; syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner of the Tom Joyner Show; Ted Shaw, Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; the Honorable Dennis W. Archer, President, American Bar Association; Dr. Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Donna Brazile, Managing Director, Brazile & Associates; and Dr. Charles Adams, Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Detroit, among others.

Plenary sessions and activities include a National Education Summit: Brown v. Board of Ed: How Far Have We Come? How Far Do We Have to Go?; a workshop on America\\\'s Workforce Crisis: Can We Continue Outsourcing Highly Skilled Jobs and Meet the Country\\\'s Urgent Need for Job Growth; Succeeding: The African-American Corporate Executive\\\'s and Entrepreneur\\\'s Perspectives; a Hip Hop Voter Empowerment Rally led by Unity \\\'04 in partnership with The Hip Hop Summit Action Network and Rock the Vote; a Benefit Concert with music icon and ten-time Grammy winner Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds; the NUL Cultural Night: a Salute to Motown with legendary Motown artists; The Tom Joyner Sky Show; the Women of Power Luncheon; the NULYP Training Ground: A Next Generation Leadership Development Institute targeting young African-American professionals between the ages of 21-35; the NULITES Youth Leadership Summit for youth between the ages of 14-19; the Family Session: Urban League Sunday; and the Annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Conference Gala: A Tribute to Legends. More information about the National Urban League\\\'s 2004 Annual Conference registration, exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities is available on the League\\\'s website at www.nul.org, or by calling 800-263-9926.