At the University Club of Memphis on Thursday, business, civic and government leaders gathered for the Memphis Urban League’s State of Black America Luncheon, a candid conversation on race, democracy and progress in America. The keynote speaker, Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans, delivered what could be described as part master class for elected officials, full call to arms for the Black community.
Morial, in Memphis to receive the National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award later that evening, praised Memphis Urban League President and CEO Gale Jones-Carson for rebuilding the local chapter and called on the audience to strengthen its work.
“We are a direct service provider,” he said. “We do our work through a team of professionals supported by volunteers. We are in partnership and family with other organizations. We are not in competition. We have no time for that.”
Morial’s address quickly turned to what he called a “state of emergency.” He reminded the audience that only six decades ago, the racial makeup of public leadership looked far different and that today’s progress is under threat. “The storm clouds are on the horizon,” he cautioned. “The Supreme Court has turned its back on civil rights.”
Drawing from the National Urban League’s State of Black America report, Morial described an orchestrated rollback of civil rights gains, from anti-diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to voting rights. “Before the ink was dry,” he said, “the president issued an order that was a direct attack on the Civil Rights Act — an anti-diversity executive order designed to erase 60 years of progress.”
He warned that Project 2025, a conservative political blueprint, “is a master plan to dismantle the civil rights era, to dismantle the New Deal, to dismantle Obamacare. But what we must do is rise to the occasion.”
Morial made a forceful case for diversity as an economic and moral imperative, recounting the story of a Black woman who increased her job application response rate eightfold after changing her name and photo through AI. “Diversity, equity and inclusion is all about merit,” he said. “It is about giving everybody with merit a chance.”
He tied the rollback of DEI to the rising unemployment rate among Black women following mass corporate layoffs. “This is not about poor performance,” he said. “It is a frontal attack on 70 years of progress.”
Morial also challenged U.S. spending priorities. “Think about the value proposition of spending $20 billion to bail out Argentina but cutting hundreds of billions from Medicaid. Think about $50 billion to rebuild Gaza, yet right here in Memphis one billion would make a huge difference in the infrastructure of this city.”
Housing and poverty, he said, are defining issues of the era. “Poverty has a new face in America today. There are fewer middle-class Americans than in 1971. Housing costs have increased six times faster than incomes.”
Morial closed with an impassioned call for civic action. “In Memphis, when there is an election, we can’t tolerate 30 percent voter turnout,” he said. “Voter suppression is awful; self-suppression is a mortal sin. Vote even if you don’t like the person — hold your nose, just vote.”
He urged attendees to stay alert and involved. “We are in a fight. No matter where you are, there is a role for you to play. Let’s fight and fight and fight ‘til hell freezes over — and then let’s fight on the ice.”
Following the keynote, a panel moderated by Jones-Carson featured Memphis Mayor Paul Young, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Tennessee Rep. Karen Camper, each reflecting on Morial’s charge.
Rep. Camper addressed civic fatigue among voters:
“I’m hearing people say, ‘Why should I defend democracy when I’m not a full participant in it?’ People are really feeling hurt. We have to encourage them and show why defending democracy still matters — our ancestors never gave up, even knowing they might not fully benefit from it.”
Mayor Harris spoke about the need for genuine allyship and accountability:
“One of our failures as a diverse community is that a lot of folks who were supposed to be allies have let us down. In terms of diversity, equity and inclusion, they were willing to lay off people and cancel diversity at a moment’s notice as soon as there was a whisper of tension. We’ve got to build the right kinds of relationships so when things happen, there are people in positions willing to stand up and reject the push against progress.”
Mayor Young emphasized communication and connection:
“As public officials, we have to articulate how our decisions impact daily life. We can’t assume people know what government is doing. Communication must be constant — through social media, ambassadors and influencers — to keep citizens informed and engaged.”
Morial left attendees with a challenge to confront apathy with action.
“What kind of America do we want for our children and our children’s children?” he asked. “History will ask where we stood when the storm clouds blew in. Did you sleep or did you protect?
“No matter where you are,” he said, “there is a role for you to play.”
