The State of Black America report is an annual publication curated by National Urban League President, Marc Morial. The State of Black America report provides compelling commentary and insightful analysis in critical areas including economics, education, healthcare, employment, criminal justice, housing, and civic participation.
The theme for this year’s report was “Democracy in Peril: Confronting the Threat Within,” which raises the alarm on the extremist ideology that is taking root in the nation’s classrooms, law enforcement, military institutions, and the halls of Congress. Morial spoke with a group of HBCU students in Atlanta on April 18 regarding the many issues plaguing the country.
What do you want people to know about the State of Black America?
I want people to be inspired to take a stand against hate and extremism, to vote, use their voice and their right to assemble to create an America where we tolerate and respect each other, understand or respect our differences, but we work for a better America and reject hate, extremism, supremacy, and battle against it and recognize that it’s cancer eating away at the civility, anabolic body politic of this nation. We need to step away from it, we need to battle it, and we need to confront it and we need to fight it.
Having the conversation with the HBCU students, what does that tell you about the future of America?
I think the students on the panel today, and the influencers raise a lot of important and thoughtful issues. I think if people see the brilliance, talent, and ability of our young people, they’d be inspired. Sometimes people talk about young people, but they’ve never interacted with young people. We wanted to showcase some of the best young talents in black America, the young leaders, and some of tomorrow’s future influencers here today.
What’s one thing you want people to take away from this panel?
