Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League
   

“The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.” -- W.E.B. Du Bois 

Just a dozen years after Major General Gordon Granger’s Order Number 3 declared “an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves,” the last federal troops withdrew from former Confederate states. Their withdrawal ushered in a near-century of legally-enforced racial segregation, white supremacist terrorism, and second-class citizenship for Black Americans. 

Still, the celebration of Granger’s order, the holiday we celebrate on Monday as Juneteenth, endured. 

MADISON (June 12, 2023) – The Urban League of Greater Madison (Madison, WI) is asking the community to help them fight sickle cell disease.

This coming Saturday, June 17th, the Urban League is partnering with the Red Cross to host a blood drive to help fight the disease. They are specifically asking for Black blood donors, as the majority of those with sickle cell are of African ancestry.

The disease affects over 100,000 people in the country, which can lead to stroke and organ failure.

SAN DIEGO (June 12, 2023) – The Urban League of San Diego (San Diego, CA) is seeking to help Black and other people of color into buying their first home.

According to reports by the California Association of Realtors, homeownership is at its lowest within the Black and Latino communities. The peak of Black and Latino homeownership came in 2004, with Black homeowners coming in at 50%, with Latinos being around 56%.

For Al Abdallah, interim president and CEO of the Urban League, there is a flaw within the system. “These are systemic racial issues that we must tackle in this country,” he said.

ROCHESTER (June 12, 2023) – The Urban League of Rochester (Rochester, NY) rolled out the red carpet for hundreds of students at a recent event.

Last Monday, June 5th, the Urban League celebrated the excellence of area Black students, as they held their Annual Black Scholars Ceremony, in its 44th year.

The event honored hundreds of Black high school seniors, all earning a “B” average or higher, awarding them the distinction of being chosen as an Urban League Black Scholar.

The dangers of anti-LGBTQ+ bills. See how a record number of new laws are casting a dark shadow on what should be a time for celebrating love & freedom. | Meet us in Houston, July 26-29! We’ve curated #NULConf23 events with you in mind, like the Women of Power Awards, business sessions, forums & more. | What are your summer plans? Before planning your next vacation, get vaxxed to limit your exposure to COVID-19. Find info & resources here. | Gen Z is up next! Tune in as we chat with Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost, the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League