Chicago Urban League

For more than 94 years, the Chicago Urban League has been at the forefront of the civil rights movement working tirelessly to empower and advance African Americans. The Chicago Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Founded in 1916 by an interracial group of community leaders, the Urban League was formed to help rural African Americans migrating from the south adjust to northern urban living. As one of the major civil rights organizations in Chicago, and one of the 98 affiliates of the National Urban League, the Chicago Urban League is committed to support and advocate for economic, educational, and social equality for African Americans. During the 1960s, the Urban League’s work joined with the national civil rights agenda and other organizations to produce a period of great economic, electoral, and political gains. For nearly a century, the Urban League’s efforts have always reflected a dual commitment to civil rights and economic development. Our advocacy work provides a foundation for our programs that help to bring families to the economic mainstream, with education being a key component. We believe that access to a quality education is central to preparing individuals to become lifelong learners and to be competitive and successful in the global economy. Today, under the leadership of the new President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrea L. Zopp, the Urban League continues to support and advocate for education reform and the economic equality for African Americans by building strong, stable communities.

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