As students in East Tennessee get ready to go back to school, the Knoxville Area Urban League (Knoxville, TN) is getting ready to host their 23rd annual "Shoes for School" event. 

Shoes for School helps make sure that students have what they need ahead of the new school year, offering items like shoes, backpacks and other school supplies. Thanks to local partnerships, the Urban League is able to offer students even more this year.

KAUL has teamed up with Second Harvest Food Bank to provide food for kids. They've also formed partnerships with local barbers to provide haircuts for students, and for the first time, they'll offer dental check-ups this year as well. 

Director of Education and Youth Services at KAUL Carly Hammonds said the event not only gets kids ready for school, it makes them feel good ahead of the new year.

Our dollars matter. See why backing away from DEI is bad business when Black and Latino consumers hold over $6 trillion in spending power. | Where do we stand? Watch the State of the Urban League Address, where Marc H. Morial breaks down how we’ve impacted communities nationwide. | It’s finally here. Our 2025 State of Black America® Report highlights the rollback of civil rights and how we're fighting back. Watch the unveiling here. | Relive the moments. Watch as we honored Marcia Fudge, Tim and Daphne Reid + more during our Whitney M. Young. Jr. Awards Gala. | $10,000 in awards! Check out the three Black-owned businesses we awarded during our Small Business Matters Entrepreneurship Summit. | Watch from anywhere. Our virtual #NULConf25 speakers dropped gems on entrepreneurship, tech, and so much more. Register now and watch the replay. | Don’t miss the gems. Catch the replay of the fireside chat between Marc H. Morial & John Rogers during our Legacy Leadership Luncheon at #NULConf25 | Greetings from The Land! Cleveland locals + #NULConf25 attendees gathered for an unforgettable Community & Family Day Expo. Catch a glimpse of the joy! | Catch the replay. Don’t miss our #NULConf25 Young Professionals Plenary on leadership and using your skills to uplift your community. Tune in. | Celebrating women! During our Women of Power Awards Luncheon, we honored phenomenal women, such as Suzanne de Passe + more. Watch now. | Grab your gear. Missed shopping in-person during #NULConf25? No worries, you can shop 24/7 for Urban League merchandise via our online store.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

"Who will try to blend communities of color during a time the administration would like to see it kept apart? A strong combined effort would turn politics and the economy on its head by creating a single voice of people tired of being relegated to society’s second class. Who will step up?" -- Ray Marcano
 
They may not be making as much noise as the extremists who boycott LGBTQ + inclusive brands, but communities of color are quietly flexing their economic muscle against companies who abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

NEW YORK  (July 23, 2025) — As the Trump administration revives unfounded conspiracy theories and falsehoods about Russian interference in the 2016 election, the National Urban League is reelevating portions of its 2019 State of Black America report which focused on the influence campaign.

CLEVELAND, OHIO (July 17, 2025) – National Urban League President & CEO Marc H. Morial and Louisville Urban League President & CEO Lyndon Pryor today denounced a stunning recommendation by the Department of Justice that ex-officer Brett Hankison, convicted of violating Breonna Taylor’s rights, serve just one day in prison.

CLEVELAND, OHIO (July 19, 2025) — The National Urban League took a major step forward today in supporting youth through its Project Ready Scholarship, not just preparing students for college and careers, but now directly investing in their futures.

A war has been declared in this country. And the fight isn’t just for diversity, equity, and inclusion or for fair economic and criminal justice practices. It’s for the soul of America. It’s to determine which of us will have an opportunity not to prosper, but merely survive in a future clouded with uncertainty at every turn.