Urban League Report Calls for “Jobs Surge” to Aid Minorities


Marc Morial, Urban League President
Marc Morial, Urban League President

(Taylor Media Services) The National Urban League – the nation’s second oldest civil rights organization – last week released its annual “State of Black America” report. And while making it clear that the group was appreciative of President Obama’s efforts to improve the economy and better living conditions in the nation, the report asserted “much, much more must be done.”

Specifically, Urban League President Marc Morial called on President Obama to promote a “jobs surge” that targets economically hard-hit communities. In a summary, the report concluded that African Americans “have made gains in overall equality with whites” but still lag behind in areas such as homeownership and are twice as likely to be unemployed.

The 151-page report also suggested that something must be done to curb the high incarceration rate among young Blacks. Also, in an apparent bid to broaden its appeal to Hispanics – the nation’s fastest growing minority group – the report for the first time included a section on the inequalities faced by Hispanics.

While voicing support for the president’s success in passing historic health care reform legislation, the Urban League report declared, “Landmark health legislation won’t be enough to reduce racial gaps in unemployment and health care. Again, Morial pushed what he saw as the need for “a strong jobs bill.”

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