Founded in 1910, the National Urban League is one of the oldest African American social service, research, and advocacy organizations in the United States. A group of sociologists, social workers, and philanthropists founded the Chicago League in 1916 to address the rapidly increasing needs of the African American community during a time of voluminous migration. The specific focus of the Chicago League's programs has changed over time from the provision of social services to advocacy and leadership on citywide efforts to open jobs, housing, and public accommodations to black citizens.For a detailed overview of the Chicago Urban League, see the collection finding aid.
This collection primarily contains materials generated or collected by the Chicago Urban League. It documents the history, leadership, activities, social services provided by and the mission of the Chicago Urban League. The collection also contains some material from affiliated organizations, which directly pertain to the Chicago Urban League. While a significant portion of the collection has been digitized, there are still materials that can only be seen in person in the Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room at the Daley Library. Please consult the Chicago Urban League records finding aid to learn about the full collection.
Series I: Administrative FilesThe Administrative Files Series pertains to the operations, organization, and decision making of the Chicago Urban League. In addition to financial records and interdepartmental correspondence, this series also contains some information on the internal functioning of the organization and correspondence with external groups.
Series II: ProgramsChicago Urban League created and administered (often coordinating with outside agencies) a broad array of programs, from job training and placement to healthcare, housing, disabilities, and women's programs. The Programs Series contains the records for individual programs.
Series III: Research and PlanningThis series contains information about social services available to African Americans, including services involving reproductive health, youth services, welfare services, general health and access to hospitals, and issues related to the aging and those with mental illness.
Series IV: Public Relations The Public Relations series includes reports published by the Chicago Urban League, photographs, and promotional materials.