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Celebrating a Century of Advocacy for Economic and Racial Equality
Originally published The Baltimore Times
The Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century of helping Black Americans improve their lives. Founded in 1924 by John R. Cary, Lilian A. Lottier, The Rev. Peter Ainslie, and George B. Murphy, GBUL has been a key player in the fight for equality and opportunity in Baltimore. Over the years, it has worked on many important issues, like improving health conditions and education for Black communities. Today, GBUL focuses on helping people create wealth and become leaders. They have programs for entrepreneurship and youth education. To celebrate their 100 years of impact, GBUL is hosting events, including a gala on November 9, 2024. They also have a new plan for the next five years to continue their important work in the community.
‘A Century of Impact, a Future of Promise’
Rooted in actionable service that contributes to the upward mobility of Black Americans, the Greater Baltimore Urban League (GBUL) is celebrating a significant milestone, reaching its 100th year.
Baltimore has been a hotbed for civil rights activism for decades, and GBUL can say it is one of the few organizations in the region that has been at the forefront of the ongoing fight for Black empowerment and advancement for the last century.
PAST
The Greater Baltimore Urban League was organized and chartered by the National Urban League in December 1924, and was founded by John R. Cary, Lilian A. Lottier, The Rev. Peter Ainslie and George P. Murphy. The organization was one of the National Urban League’s earliest affiliates.
Findings from a study on an extensive survey on the conditions of Baltimore’s Black industrial workers, combined with the work of an Interracial Conference established to improve racial attitudes and conditions in health and welfare, led to the birth of the Baltimore Urban League.
Those early efforts laid the foundation for GBUL’s guiding principles.
What many may take for granted now – like getting jobs with the fire department or local post office or getting admitted to colleges and universities – were aspirations that Black Baltimoreans had to fight for. Hence, GBUL was a leading force in the fight for equality and opportunity for underprivileged communities.
GBUL has not only merely existed for 100 years but has thrived and made a measurable impact on millions of individuals during that time frame. GBUL’s ability to achieve sustained success for 100 years speaks volumes according to Ricky Smith, chairman of the GBUL board of directors.
“I think what it says is regardless of what our community has been going through over that 100-year period, the Urban League was always able to be relevant and to add value to the circumstances that the community is going through,” said Smith, who’s been the GBUL board of directors chairman since 2021.
“I think that’s probably what makes the Urban League such an impactful organization. Over the last 100 years, or since the birth of the National Urban League, the organization has been able to really understand the issues that are affecting African Americans at a systemic level and develop programming to address those issues.”
Some of GBUL’s accomplishments down through the years include:
- 1925 – BUL began work to clean up the Lung Block, referring to the area with the highest death rate of tuberculosis in Baltimore.
- 1933 – At the organization’s request, six black caseworkers were appointed to the Baltimore Emergency Relief Commission.
- 1940 – BUL member Carl J. Murphy chairs the newly founded Citizen’s Committee on Current Educational Problems, which led a presentation to the Board of School Commissioners that documented teacher and classroom supply shortages in Black schools and the need for a vocational school.
- 1949 – BUL conducts the research identifying the need in Cherry Hill for parks and playgrounds; Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks acquires 31 acres, 12 of which were immediately developed as a park and playground.
- 1970 – The National Urban League establishes a census project in 10 cities, including Baltimore, to reverse the Black undercount.
Between World War I and the Civil Rights Movement, dozens of similarly missioned groups emerged that were aimed at the all-around betterment of Black Americans socially, politically and economically. However, the Urban League found ways to carve out a unique role during its early days, Smith said.
“Whatever issues were plaguing our community, they worked hand-in-hand with other organizations to shed light on those issues. But the Urban League has always been effective in putting programs in place to try to correct those issues,” Smith said.
“And I think that’s what separates the Urban League from other similarly missioned organizations. The Urban League really hones in on the services that are necessary instead of just shedding light on those issues.”
PRESENT
GBUL’s mission has remained the same, but its efforts have evolved in accordance with the challenges, demands and needs of the Black community over time. For instance, the 21st century has garnered major attention on generational wealth, entrepreneurship and STEM opportunities for minorities. GBUL and many other Urban League chapters have implemented programming that caters to those specific points of emphasis.
“Today, the focus is more on how can we become gainly employed, how can we become leaders in these roles and how can we become leaders in our community?… Today you find the Urban League focusing a lot more on things like wealth creation,” said Smith, also the CEO and executive director of the Maryland Aviation Administration.
“The Greater Baltimore Urban League now is focused on positioning its people to create generational wealth, so you’ve seen that evolution over that 100-year period.”
Among the numerous initiatives that GBUL established, the Raymond V. Haysbert Sr. Center for Entrepreneurship and the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program are just two ways the organization is carving a path forward for the next generation’s leaders.
GBUL also has programming centered around youth education, workforce development, job opportunities and more.
Courtesy photo
In June, the organization launched its centennial celebration campaign, which is labeled “A Century of Impact, A Future of Promise,” through special community events, a short biographical documentary, a signature golf tournament in October and a special gala on Nov. 9.
The campaign will also spotlight local and national leaders who have empowered Black communities in the Greater Baltimore region, according to GBUL’s website.
As it endeavors to build upon its remarkable milestone in years to come, GBUL recently launched a new strategic plan that sets the organization’s agenda and priorities for the next five years (2025-2030). The new CEO, who will be announced at the upcoming centennial gala, will lead the charge in bringing the strategic plan to fruition.
Some of the goals of the new comprehensive plan (titled “Legacy Reimagined”) include:
- Influencing public policy on urban development and social equity as a thought leader
- Advancing financial empowerment and wealth creation
- Enhancing organizational viability
- And promoting community
The search process for GBUL’s new top executive has taken several months after the departure of former CEO Tiffany Majors. At its upcoming 100-year anniversary gala, the new CEO is expected to be in attendance, according to Smith.
GBUL’s centennial gala is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2024 from 6-10 p.m. at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Keywords: Greater Baltimore Urban League, 100th anniversary, economic empowerment, racial equity, community advocacy
#BaltimoreUrbanLeague100 #CommunityEmpowerment #CenturyOfChange
