Issues Affecting African Americans in 1991

John Jacob, president of the National Urban League, discussed issues of concern to minorities in the keynote speech on the opening day of the national convention of the National Urban League. He addressed the need for African Americans to realize their preconceptions of other ethnic groups, and the need for parental choice of public schools to improve the educational facilities available to all children in the U.S., not only those able to afford private schools. Finally, he questioned the National Urban League’s traditional position in favor of decisions by the Judiciary Department concerning the Voting Rights Act that created all-black districts. Mr. Jacob supported the 1991 Civil Rights bill, and discussed the nomination of black U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. Earlier in the day, Mr. Jacob had announced in a news conference the National Urban League would not take a position on the nomination of Judge Thomas. Mr. Jacob said that with or without Judg close