Young was active in the NAACP and became president of its Georgia branch. In
1960, he was appointed as executive director of the National Urban League. He
served in this post until 1971, during which he worked to end employment
discrimination in the United States. He turned the National Urban League from a
relatively passive civil rights organization into one that aggressively fought
for equal access for African Americans who had been disenfranchised and
discriminated against. He increased the budget of the organization and helped
create thousands of new jobs for African Americans.
He also took part in all the major civil rights demonstrations including the
March on Washington on August 28, 1963. He served on the boards and advisory
committees of the Rockefeller Foundation, Urban Coalition, and Urban Institute.
Young was president of the National Association of Social Workers and the
National Conference on Social Welfare.
In 1969, Young was one of the 20 Americans to receive the Medal of Freedom,
the nation's highest civilian award. Whitney Young's many friendships with
business and political leaders of the United States stirred much controversy
within the black community. Young’s view however, was that it was more
important to maintain communication with America's centers of financial and
political power, no matter how race relations might be in the nation's streets
and schools.
1960, he was appointed as executive director of the National Urban League. He
served in this post until 1971, during which he worked to end employment
discrimination in the United States. He turned the National Urban League from a
relatively passive civil rights organization into one that aggressively fought
for equal access for African Americans who had been disenfranchised and
discriminated against. He increased the budget of the organization and helped
create thousands of new jobs for African Americans.
He also took part in all the major civil rights demonstrations including the
March on Washington on August 28, 1963. He served on the boards and advisory
committees of the Rockefeller Foundation, Urban Coalition, and Urban Institute.
Young was president of the National Association of Social Workers and the
National Conference on Social Welfare.
In 1969, Young was one of the 20 Americans to receive the Medal of Freedom,
the nation's highest civilian award. Whitney Young's many friendships with
business and political leaders of the United States stirred much controversy
within the black community. Young’s view however, was that it was more
important to maintain communication with America's centers of financial and
political power, no matter how race relations might be in the nation's streets
and schools.