A Better Birmingham
Making a difference in the community, the Birmingham Urban League has been doing that for over five decades. As we celebrate Black History Month, let us reflect on the impact the Birmingham Urban League has left on so many lives. However, we must first recognize the national chapter, founded in 1910. It is the oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind. It was founded just before the Great Migration in hopes of easing the transition for African-Americans as they moved from the North to the South due to harsh segregation laws and the need for jobs. The massive surge of African-Americas caused racial strife and economic strife for the migrants. Thus, the National Urban League helped them get housing and find employment.
When you think of the Civil Rights Movement, you may think of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Yes, the NAACP was at the forefront of the movement, but so was the National Urban League. The National Urban League, along with the NAACP, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Southern Christain Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE), were known as the Big Five. These civil organizations all played a different role during that time and worked together to achieve a goal of ending segregation and discrimination. The National Urban League focused on ensuring employment for African-Americans with job training skills. Housing services, welfare, and education were also services offered by the organization.
In 1967, during the Civil Rights Movement, a group of men (John J. Drew, Dr. A.G. Gaston, Emory O. Jackson, Jessie L. Lewis Sr., Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, L.H. Pitts, Clarence L. Price, Amos Ryce II, Arthur D. Shores, E.W. Taggart, and J.L. Ware) founded the Birmingham chapter. Their vision helped African-Americans, deemed as outcasts, in our community get assistance.
Today, the Birmingham Urban League holds fast to the principles it was founded upon years ago. Though times have changed, there are still disparities in our community. We must continue the work to empower the lives of all racial and ethnic groups by providing education, jobs, housing, and health services to those in need. However, we cannot continue to empower lives without your support. A donation of any size will allow for GED and job skills training, housing programs, and so much more. Please commit to making our community stronger by extending a helping hand. If you would like to give back or learn more about programs offered, visit our website, www.birminghamul.org.
