New York, NY, July 15, 2004—President George W. Bush and Democratic Presidential nominee Senator John Kerry will address the National Urban League's 2004 annual conference, National Urban League President & CEO Marc H. Morial announced today.

This year's conference theme is Empowerment: Building on the Civil Rights Movement. Registration is now open and available via website at www.nul.org and by telephone (800-263-9926). The conference convenes in Detroit from Wednesday, July 21 through Sunday, July 25.

President Bush will address the conference attendees on Friday, July 23 at 10 a.m. at the Marriott Renaissance Center. Senator Kerry is scheduled to speak on Thursday, July 22 at 10 a.m. at Cobo Center.

"As a nonpartisan organization we welcome both President Bush and Senator Kerry's appearance before the largest gathering of the Urban League movement and believe it presents them with a significant opportunity to address the issues foremost on the minds of African Americans and other voters," said Marc H. Morial, National Urban League President and CEO. "Few actions are more empowering than voting, particularly in this historic year that marks the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling and the 40th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. We have made great strides but still have a long way to go."

Polls have consistently shown that African-Americans remain concerned about unemployment, health and education issues. Black unemployment is nearly double that of the rest of the nation—10.1 percent versus 5.6 percent. A recent CNN/USA Today/Gall poll conducted June 21-23 shows that Americans consider handling the economy the most important job for the president. The Conference returns to Detroit for the first time in sixteen years.

Conference Speaker Highlights include:
National Urban League President Marc H. Morial's keynote address, Wednesday, July 21 from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Special appearances by Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.,(Rainbow/PUSH Operation); U.S. Secretary Rod Paige, Department of Education, Earl G. Graves, Sr., Publisher, Black Enterprise magazine, Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick, City of Detroit; Donna Brazile, Political Consultant and CNN Commentator, Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder, National Action Network; Miss America Ericka Dunlop, Malik Yoba, Actor/Producer, Dave Bing, NBA legend and Chairman and CEO, The Bing Group; Ann Fudge, Chairman & CEO, Young & Rubicam; 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; Dennis W. Archer, President, American Bar Association; Cathy L. Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One, Inc.; Linda Johnson-Rice, President & CEO, Johnson Publishing Company(Ebony/Jet Magazines),Ted Shaw, Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund; Dr. Kenneth S. Burnley, CEO, Detroit Public Schools; and Dr. Charles Adams, Pastor, Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Detroit.

Major Sessions and Award Highlights:
Women of Power Awards Luncheon; a National Education Summit on the 50th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education ruling; launch of the Commission on the African American Male, the annual Whitney M. Young, Jr. Conference Gala Tribute to Legends, National Urban League Young Professionals (NULYP) Training Ground: A Next Generation Leadership Development Seminar; A National Urban League Incentives to Excel and Succeed (NULITES) Youth Summit.

Entertainment Highlights:
A Benefit Concert featuring 10-time Grammy award winning pop icon Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Cultural Night: Salute to Motown starring legendary pop duo, Ashford and Simpson, the Miracles and the Contours and the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Sky Show will broadcast live from the conference.

Free Exhibit Hall Highlights:
Five Empowerment Exhibit Zones on Health, Employment, Technology, Homeownership and Fun (Education & Learning), which are free and open to the public. 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. Job seekers can have face-to-face discussions and interviews with recruiters.

New Conference Features:
The conference will introduce a number of new elements in 2004 including a Wellness Walk; the Unity '04 Rock the Vote Hip Hop Voter Empowerment Rally & Voter Registration Drive to register youth and young adults; 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.

New Conference Features:
The conference will introduce a number of new elements in 2004 including a Wellness Walk; the Unity '04 Rock the Vote Hip Hop Voter Empowerment Rally & Voter Registration Drive to register youth and young adults; 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.

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

G. Richard Wagoner, Chairman, President and CEO, General Motors Corporation, is the 2004 Conference General Chairperson; Roderick D. Gillum, Vice President, Corporate Diversity, General Motors Corporation, is the Host Committee Chairman. The Detroit Urban League, under the leadership of N. Charles Anderson, is the host affiliate. Michael J. Critelli, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Pitney Bowes Inc. is the Chairman of the National Urban League. Michael K. Lee, Esq., is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Detroit Urban League.