III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 609 

Congratulating the National Urban League on its 100th year of service 

to the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 5, 2010 

Mr. CARDIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the National Urban League on its 100th 

year of service to the United States. 

Whereas the National Urban League (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘League’’) is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to promoting economic empowerment to 

improve the standard of living in historically underdeveloped urban communities; 

Whereas, by promoting education, civic engagement, economic 

development, and civil justice, the League has been a 

consistent advocate for improving the quality of life for 

struggling communities; 

Whereas, on July 28, 2010, the League will open its Centennial Conference in Washington, DC; 


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•SRES 609 IS 

Whereas, on the centennial anniversary of the National 

Urban League, the country can look back with great 

pride on the extraordinary accomplishments of the 

League; 

Whereas, since its inception in 1910, the League has made 

tremendous gains in equality and empowerment in the 

African-American community throughout the United 

States; 

Whereas the National Urban League has remarkable predecessors, including the National League for the Protection 

of Colored Women (established in 1906), the Committee 

for Improving the Industrial Condition of Negroes in 

New York (established in 1906), and the Committee on 

Urban Conditions Among Negroes (established in 1910); 

Whereas the League began as a multiracial, diverse grassroots campaign by Mrs. Ruth Standish Baldwin and Dr. 

George Edmund Haynes; 

Whereas, between 1910 and 2010, the League expanded to 

25 national programs, with more than 100 local affiliates 

in 36 States and the District of Columbia; 

Whereas, during the civil rights movement, the League 

worked closely with A. Phillip Randolph, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and many other exceptional leaders; 

Whereas, throughout the 1970s, the partnership between the 

League and the Federal Government experienced tremendous growth, with the 2 entities delivering aid to urban 

areas and making improvements in housing, education, 

health, and minority-owned small businesses; 

Whereas the partnership between the League and the Federal 

Government revolutionized how the United States viewed 

race relations, challenging the deep discrimination within 


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•SRES 609 IS 

the social structure of the United States and cementing 

the League as a premier social justice organization; 

Whereas the League employs a 5-point approach to increase 

the quality of life of people in the United States, particularly African-Americans; 

Whereas the League carries out the 5-point approach through 

programs such as ‘‘Education and Youth Empowerment’’, ‘‘Economic Empowerment’’, ‘‘Health and Quality 

of Life Empowerment’’, ‘‘Civic Engagement and Leadership Empowerment’’, and ‘‘Civil Rights and Racial Justice Empowerment’’; 

Whereas, through the Housing and Community Development 

division of the League, programs such as ‘‘Foreclosure 

Prevention’’, ‘‘Homeownership Preparation’’, and ‘‘Financial Literacy’’ aided more than 50,000 people in 

2009; 

Whereas, with assistance provided by the ‘‘Foreclosure Prevention’’ program of the League, 3,000 people were able 

to avoid filing foreclosure in 2009; 

Whereas, through the Education and Youth Development division of the League, programs such as ‘‘Project Ready’’ 

prepare students to transition from high school to college 

or to the workforce; 

Whereas the League publishes the ‘‘State of Black America’’, 

an annual report analyzing social and economic conditions affecting African-Americans; 

Whereas the ‘‘State of Black America’’ report includes the 

Equality Index, a statistical measure of the disparities 

between Black and White people across 5 categories: economics, education, health, civic engagement, and social 

justice; 


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•SRES 609 IS 

Whereas the programs of the League not only emphasize the 

importance of leadership and community in local areas, 

but also enhance the quality of life by studying and addressing specific problems within the communities; 

Whereas, throughout 100 years of service, the League has assisted millions of people in the United States, especially 

African-Americans, in combating poverty, inequality, and 

social injustice; 

Whereas the League has outlined 4 aspirational goals as part 

of the ‘‘I AM EMPOWERED’’ campaign, which marks 

the centennial anniversary of the League; 

Whereas the ‘‘I AM EMPOWERED’’ campaign will galvanize 

millions of people to take a pledge to help achieve the 4 

aspirational goals of education, jobs, housing, and health 

care by 2025, namely, by ensuring that— 

(1) every child in the United States is ready for college, work, and life; 

(2) every person in the United States has access to 

jobs with a living wage and good benefits; 

(3) every person in the United States lives in safe, 

decent, affordable, and energy-efficient housing on fair 

terms; and 

(4) every person in the United States has access to 

quality and affordable health care solutions; 

Whereas the work of the League has been pivotal in improving the lives of millions of African-Americans through 

community-oriented programs, civil rights, and leadership 

opportunities, at times when these changes have been 

needed most; and 

Whereas the National Urban League remains an essential organization: Now, therefore, be it 


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•SRES 609 IS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) welcomes the National Urban League to the 

3 capital of the United States to commemorate the 

4 National Urban League’s 100th year of service to 

5 the Nation; 

6 (2) expresses deep gratitude for the hard7 working and dedicated men and women of the Na8 tional Urban League who, during the last 100 years, 

9 have struggled to improve the society of the United 

10 States and the lives of all people in the United 

11 States; and 

12 (3) commends the ongoing and tireless efforts 

13 of the National Urban League to address areas of 

14 inequality and fight for the right of all people of the 

15 United States to live with freedom, dignity, and 

16 prosperity. 

Æ 


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