New York, N.Y. February 24, 2006 - Marc H. Morial, President & CEO National Urban League will participate in "The 7th Annual State of the Black Union" symposium, set to discuss critical issues raised in Tavis Smiley's Covenant with Black America publication, on February 25th in Houston at St. Agnes Church (3730 South Acres Dr.) from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The 2006 gathering of African American thought leaders moderated by Smiley is co-hosted by radio and television personality Tom Joyner and sponsored by Nationwide Financial.

The event, "Economic Empowerment: Building and Leveraging Wealth in the African American Community and Defining the African American Agenda Part II," will discuss money management, wealth building and economic empowerment in addition to The Covenant, a national plan of action designed to address the concerns of African Americans today -- from health to housing, from crime to criminal justice, from education to economic parity.

The discussion on economics will take place from 8 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Two afternoon sessions on "Defining the African American Agenda Part II," which includes the discussion of the 254-page The Covenant book will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Panelists include Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League; Rev. Floyd Flake, pastor of The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York; economist Julianne Malveaux; actor and activist Harry Belafonte; Michelle Singletary, business and finance columnist for The Washington Post; Hon. Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Jennette Bradley (R-OH), Ohio Treasurer of State, and U.S. Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Others include Minister Louis Farrakhan, professor and psychologist Na'im Akbar; professor Cornel West; professor Nikki Giovanni; and Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

The symposium is free, open to the public, and will broadcast live on C-SPAN. Advance registration is required online at www.tavistalks.com

"At the close of last year's symposium we invited the public to weigh in on the most intractable issues facing Black America. I'm happy to report that because of the huge response we have a document that outlines how individuals, groups, communities and the body politic can move forward to make this nation better," said Smiley. The weekend kicks-off Friday night (Feb. 24) at 8 p.m. with an ecumenical service at Houston's Fountain of Praise church featuring three dynamic speakers Rev. Joseph Lowery, Dr. Cornel West and Bishop Noel Jones. This service focuses on the power of the black church and its charge to help implement solutions to the top 10 issues facing African Americans. The weekend ends Saturday night at St. Agnes church with "The Covenant Gospel Concert" featuring Verity Gospel award winning artists Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, and Byron Cage.

Following the symposium weekend, Smiley will host a series of town hall meetings to hear input from communities on how to implement The Covenant. The 7-city tour stops include: Kennerly Temple Church of God in Christ in St. Louis (Feb. 27); Concord Baptist Church in New York City (Feb. 28); Ray of Hope Christian Church in Atlanta (March 1); St. Andrews AME in Memphis (March 2); West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles (March 3); Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland (March 4); and the University of California at San Francisco at Mission Bay (March 4).

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