Empowering Communities. Changing lives. Since 1938. Our Movement: The Urban League movement was founded in 1910. The National Urban League, headquartered in New York City, spearheads our nonrofit, nonpartisan, community based movement. The heart of the Urban League movement is our professionally staffed Urban League affiliates in over 100 cities in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Our Mission: The mission of the Urban League movement is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights. Our Methods: The Urban League movement carries out its mission at the local, state and natonal levels through direct services, advocacy, research, policy analysis, collaboration and communications.