There’s no mistaking the urgency in today’s State of Black America report from the National Urban League: America is in a state of emergency when it comes to civil rights. Released at the League’s annual conference in Cleveland, the report asserts that President Trump’s policies and agency reshuffles are actively rolling back hard-won gains made by Black communities over decades. Leaders, including Marc Morial, point to sweeping cuts in federal departments like Education, Commerce, HUD and the Justice Department’s civil rights office. These shifts, they argue, reflect a coordinated effort, not random policy tweaks, to dismantle structures built to protect equity and opportunity. The roadmap behind much of this, according to the League, is Project 2025, backed by The Heritage Foundation and implemented with Trump’s support. Morial warned, “This is a coordinated dismantling,” making clear the stakes are national and systemic.
Beyond the halls of government, the League’s report challenges corporate America and institutions that pledged diversity, equity and inclusion. Colleges and law firms are quietly rolling back DEI programs. Silicon Valley platforms like Meta and X are accused of muting Black creatives while letting extreme voices thrive. “From boardrooms to courtrooms to classrooms,” the report reads, “diversity is under siege.” In Detroit, activists are already mobilizing. Across Metro Detroit, organizers plan “Good Trouble Lives On” rallies today on the fifth anniversary of John Lewis’s death to protest civil rights erosion and stand in solidarity with national forces. As of Friday morning, tens of thousands had RSVP’d to more than 1,500 events nationwide, with scores of local gatherings scheduled in the city and surrounding neighborhoods.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a contributor to the report, said courts will be a frontline in the fight. “If these rollbacks lead to exclusion or discrimination,” he said, “we will challenge them.” The Urban League isn’t alone. Civil rights groups and Democratic officials have sued in federal court over recent executive orders targeting DEI, arguing that they strip protections for underserved communities. Congressional Black Caucus leaders, including Yvette Clarke and Hakeem Jeffries, have pledged to deepen civic engagement and boost public understanding of how policy shifts translate to lived experience. Clarke urged organizers to tie new policies back to everyday life—on work, education, voting—so people know exactly what’s at stake. Rep. Shomari Figures, whose father famously sued the KKK, reminded the audience: “This battle is nothing new.” The real question, he said, is whether America will continue treating Black people as full citizens.
What began as a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act quickly shifted to a warning bell. The Urban League’s message is stark: if civil rights protections crumble, democracy itself is imperiled. The report calls for a “new resistance” powered by legal action, civic education, community organizing and sustained protest. In Detroit today, that looks like rallies, teach-ins and voter registration drives held at local churches, parks and community centers. And in Cleveland and Washington, civil rights leaders vow to hold agencies accountable in court, boardrooms and budgets. As Morial concluded, “They’ve got a plan. We need one too.” The question now: will America answer the call?
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