1920

• Vocational centers are set up to provide career advice and prepare African-American youth for jobs

• The National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes was shortened to the National Urban League

1922

Dr. Charles Johnson begins the monthly literary publication Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life.  The journal serves as a platform for discussing the racial issues and interracial cooperation.  Opportunity also serves as an invaluable outlet for African-American to express their points of view, as they were excluded from white publications.

1936

President Roosevelt’s administration is encouraged by the National Urban League to appoint more than a hundred blacks to race-relations advisory positions within federal departments and newly established agencies.

1941

The Fair Employment Act is passed by President Roosevelt in response to A. Philip Randolph’s March on Washington, which protested the racial discrimination of the defense industries.

1948

The Pilot Placement Project, a program designed to place technically professionally trained workers in satisfactory positions in private industry is established.

1954

The U.S. Supreme Court rules against segregation in schools in the landmark case, Brown vs. Board of Education in Topeka.

1961

• National Urban League establishes an office in Washington, D.C. to keep informed about Washington developments and forge closer ties between the League and both the Legislative and Executive branches of the federal government.

• Whitney M. Young, Jr. became executive director of the National Urban League.

• Expanded the League’s fund-raising

• Made the League a full partner in the civil rights movement

1963

• Under the leadership of Whitney M. Young, Jr., the League proposes the “Domestic Marshall Plan” to improve the education, employment and social and cultural status of African- American suffering poverty.

• League members join a quarter of a million people in the historic March on Washington.

1964

• NUL develops an on-the-job training program in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor.

• The Civil Rights Act is passed making racial discrimination illegal in public places.

1965

NUL establishes the Operation Equality Program to provide counseling, information and housing assistance programs.

1969

• The Black Executive Exchange Program is established to better prepare students of black colleges and universities for industry-related careers.

• NUL publishes “Call to Action” a blueprint specifying what the federal government must do to solve the urban racial crisis.  It is delivered to President Nixon on January 20th, the day of his inauguration.

• Whitney M. Young, Jr. is awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom by President Johnson.

1972

• Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., formerly Executive Director of the United Negro College Fund, takes over as the League’s fifth Executive Director (the title was changed to President in 1977).

• Guided the League to major expansions of social service efforts as it became a conduit for the federal government to establish programs and deliver services to aid the urban communities.

• Brokered fresh initiatives in housing, health, education and minority business development

• Instituted a citizenship education program to increase the black vote

• Brought new programs to such areas as energy, the environment and non-traditional jobs for women of color

• Developed The State of Black America report

1976

NUL released the State of Black America report.  The annual report’s Equality Index looks at key indices to examine how blacks compare with whites in key areas such as economics, education and health.

 

1982

• The League Vice President and DC director, John E. Jacobs became president of the League.

• Established the Permanent Development Fund to increase the organization’s financial stamina

• Established the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Training Center to provide training and leadership development.

• The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Race Relations Program was developed to recognize affiliates doing exemplary work in race relations.

• The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Commemoration Ceremony is created to honor long term staff and volunteers.

1989

The National Urban League Incentives to Excel and Succeed was established to create an affiliate-based network to empower African American youth.  The program was the beneficiary of all proceeds from the Stop the Violence Movement and their hip hop single, Self Destruction.

1994

• Hugh B. Price, appointed to the League’s top office in July 1994

• Intensified the organization’s work in three board areas: education and youth development, individual and community-wide economic empowerment, affirmative action and the promotion of inclusion as a critical foundation for securing America’s future as a multi-ethnic democracy.

• Established the League’s institute of Opportunity and Equality in Washington, D.C. which conducts research and public policy analysis of urban issues for the Campaign for African American Achievement, a community mobilization and advocacy imitative created to raise awareness and promote the importance of achievement through the formation of the National Achievers Society, “Doing the Right Thing” recognition in local communities and the National Urban League’s Scholarship Program.

1999

National Urban League Young Professionals group is established.  The auxiliary’s goal is to engage individuals ages 21-40 to help their communities through volunteerism and philanthropy.

 

2003

• Marc H. Morial becomes president and CEO and creates the first Legislative Policy Conference.

• Secures a $127.5 million equality fund to invest in minority businesses through the New Markets Tax Credit program.

• Revamped the State of Black America report

• Created profitability for the annual conference

• Introduced and developed a stronger strategic director of the organization with a “five point empowerment agenda” that focused on closing the equality gap which exists for African American and other emerging ethnic communities in education, economic empowerment, health and quality of life, civic engagement and civil rights and racial justice.

2008

• NUL and the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation launches the Vote to Empower Bus Tour and Rally to increase voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election.

• Barack Obama, the nation’s first black President is elected.

• 2009

• The recession prompts the NUL to address the foreclosure crisis.  Its Economic Empowerment Tour features the Restore Our Homes Housing Rescue Fair and foreclosure-prevention workshops.

• Convenes a Green Job Summit in Washington, DC.