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THE URBAN COALITION National Coordinators:
1819 H Street, N.W. John Feild
Washington, D.C. 20006 Ron Linton
(202) 293-1530
ACTION REPORT September 24, 1967
One month after our Emergency Convocation in Washington, D. C., The
Urban Coalition has established its own offices in the Federal Bar
Building West in Washington, D. C. Coordinating staff is being drawn
together from the various groups in the Coalition to service the seven
Task Forces that are now beginning to move.
Local Coalitions Forming: Dozens of communities around the country have
responded to the Emergency Convocation with plans to organize represen-
tative Local Coalitions. An Emergency Task Force on Local Coalitions is
being created to assist these groups and to establish liaison with the
national effort. Representatives from those cities that have asked for
information and assistance will be invited to an all-day national planning
meeting on October 17th. As an interim goal, the Task Force will attempt
to establish liaison with local coalitions in at least fifty major urban
areas by November 15th. By that date local steering committees are
expected to have organized local Emergency Convocations patterned after
the Washington meeting.
Emergency Work Program: As a step in the right direction, the Task Force
on Emergency Work recommended and the Steering Committee authorized support
for the Emergency Employment Act, co-sponsored by Senator Joseph Clark
(Dem-Pa) and Senator Jacob Javits (Rep-NY). At the same time, the Coalition
called upon Congress to expedite action in providing full funding for the
Poverty Program, Rent Supplements, Model Cities, and the Equal Opportunity
in Housing measure now pending in both houses.
Emergency Task Force on Educational Disparities: Mr. Roy Ash, Dr. Arthur
Flemming and Mr. Roy Wilkins of the National Steering Committee have
started planning what The Urban Coalition can do to lend its support to
both new and on-going efforts that will contribute to the elimination of
educational disparities. Their technical work group is being drawn from
leading school personnel, civil rights groups, labor, industry and church
groups.
Communications and Public Education: A new Task Force has been set up in
this area under the co-chairmenship of Mr. Joseph H. Allen, President of
McGraw-Hill Publications, Mr. John Johnson, President of Johnson Publica-
tions, and Mr. Harold Fleming, President of Potomac Institute. They are
assembling a working group drawn from the leading mass media to assist
the Coalition with its efforts to emphasize the nature of the urban crisis.
Convocation Participants: Proceedings of the August Convocation are now
being completed and will be distributed to the convocation participants
in the near future. Apologies to those who expressed a desire to help
The Urban Coalition and have not yet been called upon. As the Task Force
programs develop, it is expected that an increasing number of those who
indicated interest will be contacted. The local coalitions that are now
forming may well need assistance from all segments of those who attended.
The organizational phase of The Urban Coalition and its local counterparts
has reflected the emergency nature of the concern of those involved and
will continue to move with this sense of urgency. Your understanding of
the problems involved in coordinating the interests of the diverse segments
of this Coalition and its national dimension can help keep the momentum of
the Emergency Convocation moving forward in an orderly way. Monthly Action
Reports will be sent to all of those who attended the August Convocation.
Private Employment Expansion: The Task Force on Private Employment
Expansion is developing plans with which it will be able to assist
local committees where Coalitions are established to accelerate specific
programs for the expansion of private employment opportunities for hard-
core unemployed workers. Meantime, work is proceeding on developing new
ideas on recruiting, testing procedures, training, managerial assistance,
employment standards, youth motivation, and private industry assistance
to public projects. Expansion of private employment opportunities will
be a major priority of the Coalition.
Reconstruction Investment and Urban Development: Mr. David Rockefeller,
Mr. Walter Reuther, and Mr. Joseph Keenan have scheduled a series of
meetings to chart the program of this Emergency Task Force. They are
now reviewing such matters as needed public investment, as well as in-
centives to encourage greater private investment in ghettos and barrios
throughout urban America. They expect to work closely with the Insurance
Industry Committee on Urban Problems as well as other segments of industry,
organized labor, local government, civil rights and religious groups.
Equal Housing Opportunities: As indicated above, the Coalition has publicly
expressed its support of federal legislation to guarantee equal housing
opportunities, Beyond this, the Emergency Task Force has initiated plans
to accelerate greater private effort in this field. Preliminary discussions
are being held with key leaders in the housing industry, banking and insurance
groups as well as with national and local fair housing groups which have been
working for some time in expanding housing opportunities. Leaders in these
interest groups will be asked to assist the Coalition in developing an action
program in this area and a national planning session in the very near future.