NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

American voluntary-service agency tracing its origins to 1911 and dedicated to eliminating racial segregation and discrimination and helping blacks and other minorities to participate in all phases of American life. By the late 20th century more than 110 local affiliated groups were active throughout the United States. It is headquartered in New York City. In 1911 three organizationsthe Committee for Improving the Industrial Conditions Among Negroes in New York (founded in 1906), the League for the Protection of Colored Women (founded 1906), and the Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes (founded 1910)were merged to form the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, which sought to help blacks, especially rural Southern blacks migrating to New York City, to find jobs and housing and generally to adjust to urban life. The model organization established in New York City was imitated in other cities where affiliates were soon established. By 1919 the national organization had assumed the shorter name, National Urban League. From its founding, the League has been interracialthe chairman of the board traditionally being white and the president and chief executive officer (overseeing day-to-day operations) being black. The primary task of helping migrants gradually evolved over the years into larger concerns, and, especially under the presidency of Whitney M. Young, Jr. (196171), the League emerged as one of the strongest forces in the American civil-rights struggle. Under his successor, Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. (197181), the League furthered its vision by embracing such causes as environmental protection, energy conservation, and the general problems of poverty. Under the presidency of John E. Jacob (198294), the agency renewed its emphasis on social welfare.