This past week, the National Urban League held its 2007 Annual Conference in St. Louis. Among the more than 5,000 attendees at the four day event were African American leaders from all across the nation.
At one point during the conference, 2008 United States Presidential candidates addressed attendees. In the forum, each candidate had 20-minutes to explain their vision for America and urban America to a packed house.
The Mayor of St. Louis was there, along with dozens of African-American elected officials, hundreds of corporate executives and a myriad of press. Senator Barack Obama was on hand as a participant, as was Senator Hillary Clinton, former Senator John Edwards, and Congressman Dennis Kucinich. In fact, all that was missing were the Republicans: Not a single Republican candidate showed up, in spite of multiple, cordial and quite personal invitations.
The absence of any Republican candidate at this event was quite significant. Their absence reflects a powerful set of realities about the future of the Republican Party, the perceived strength of African Americans, and America itself.
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Learn more about the Urban League's efforts at Crenshaw High School.
