Mission Statement

The mission of the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis is to empower African Americans and others throughout the region in securing economic self-reliance, social equality, and civil rights.

As the leading champion of empowerment and opportunity for African Americans, the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis envisions a region where all people:

• Are valued members of the community;
• Can adequately support themselves and their families;
• Can live in neighborhoods that are vibrant and thriving; and
• Share in the region’s prosperity and well-being.

Impact

In 1918, a small group of black and white Saint Louisans founded the Urban League of Saint Louis in reaction to the East Saint Louis race riots. Those who fled the riots added to the hundreds of others who were already part of the great black migration from the southern states in search of a better life.

The local riots placed a taxing burden on the black community, which had already experienced extremely poor living conditions, limited health services, outdated school facilities, and limited job opportunities, along with a high illness and death rate. This was also a time when racial tensions were exceedingly high in the nation and in the City of Saint Louis.

The Urban League advocates for African Americans and others in Metropolitan Saint Louis through community empowerment – providing a social safety net to stabilize our neediest families, and through civil rights and advocacy – obtaining fair and equal treatment within all aspects of society via economics, education, and culture.

Today, the Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis serves 205,000 people annually through 60 programs across the Saint Louis region, with the majority of those served living in the City of Saint Louis – and 100 percent of those served are LMI (low-to-moderate income) individuals.

Dana Brown Charitable Trust has helped the Urban League of Saint Louis meet their mission over the years by funding programs and capital campaigns that specifically service children and expand services for financially disadvantaged families. Most recently, DBCT generously awarded a grant for the 2021 capital campaign. This project involved renovating a historically significant building in North St. Louis. The facility allowed for the consolidation of programs geared toward these families and others, creating a “one-stop shop” allowing a parent to obtain access to utility assistance, rental assistance, food and clothing pantries, and vocational and educational programming.