New York, NY, July 19, 2004—The National Urban League announced today that the popular Tom Joyner Morning Show Crew and Sky Show will broadcast live from the 2004 Annual Convention, July 23, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The live broadcast will take place at Cobo Center. The Sky Show comes to the National Urban League 2004 Annual Conference for the first time in many years as part of a voter awareness and registration effort in partnership with the National Urban League, Unity '04 and Tom Joyner.

The theme of the conference is Empowerment: Building on the Civil Rights Movement and is expected to draw 15,000 attendees from across the nation and the region. Registration is now open and available via website at www.nul.org and by telephone (800-263-9926).

The National Urban League 2004 Annual Conference takes place Wednesday, July 21 through Sunday, July 25 at the COBO Center. The Detroit Urban League, under the leadership of N. Charles Anderson, is the host affiliate. G. Richard Wagoner, Chairman, President and CEO, General Motors Corporation will serve as the 2004 Conference Chairperson. Roderick D. Gillum, Vice President/Corporate Diversity, General Motors Corporation is the Host Committee Chairman.

The National Urban League is the nation's largest civil rights and community based organization. With over 100 affiliates in 35 states, the National Urban League serves 2 million people in the African American and urban communities nationwide direct services, advocacy and research.

The famous Tom Joyner Morning Show brings the Sky Show featuring special guests, interviews and musical performances. The show will be aired live and reaches nearly 5 million of listeners. The Sky Show is open to all attendees and the entire Detroit community. Seating is limited and based on availability.

Conference highlights include the National Urban League President's Keynote address, Wednesday, July 21 from 6:00 p.m. through 8:00 p.m.; and an address by President George Bush, Friday, July 23 at 9.a.m. and Democratic Presidential nominee Senator John Kerry on Thursday, July 22 at 10:00 a.m.

Other speakers include U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige; Jesse Jackson, Sr., Founder & President, Rainbow/PUSH Operation; Ann Fudge, Chairman & CEO, Young & Rubicam Inc; Rosa Parks, mother of the modern-day civil rights movement; Dr. Charles J. Ogletree, Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Professor Derrick Bell, NYU School of Law District; the Honorable Dennis W. Archer, President, American Bar Association; Cathy L. Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc.; Linda Johnson-Rice, President & CEO, Johnson Publishing Company; Donna Brazile, Managing Director, Brazile & Associates; the Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder, National Action Network; Ted Shaw, Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; and Dr. Charles Adams, Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Detroit.

Other conference highlights include five new Empowerment Exhibit Zones on Health, Employment, Technology, Homeownership, and Fun (Education & Learning) that are free and open to the public; the Women of Power Awards luncheon; the Vote 2004: Hip Hop Voter Empowerment Rally & Voter Registration Drive to register youth and young adults; the annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Conference gala tribute to legends; the NULYP (National Urban League Young Professionals) Training Ground: A Next Generation Leadership Development Seminar; A NULITES (National Urban League Incentives to Excel and Succeed) Youth Summit. The nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Sky Show will also broadcast live from the conference.

New additions to the conference include a 3-kilometer Wellness Walk targeting community health empowerment; an Urban League Book Drive for Detroit Youth; a Behind the Business Tour of Detroit's African-American businesses; and a historic bus tour of Detroit, which will include the original Motown Studio and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African History.

In addition, strategic vision forums will address empowering the black male, closing the achievement gap, best diversity practices, health disparities in the African-American community, America's workforce crisis and reinvestment for urban communities.

National Urban League conference activities open to registered guests include the President's keynote address; and the annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Conference Gala Special Tribute to Legends. The free Career Fair, located in the Employment Zone, features more than 100 Fortune 500 and high-tech companies, as well as non-profit and government agencies with both local and national job opportunities.