John Edward Jacob facts for kids
John Edward Jacob (born in 1934 in Trout, Louisiana) is an important U.S. civil rights leader. He was the president of the National Urban League from 1982 to 1994.
Jacob studied at Howard University, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees. Before joining the Urban League, he worked as a social worker in Baltimore. In 1965, he started working for the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Urban League, focusing on education and youth programs. Later, he became the president and executive director of the San Diego Urban League. In 1979, he moved to the national office as executive vice-president, working under Vernon Jordan. Jacob then took over as president after Jordan.
During his time as president of the Urban League, Jacob worked hard to protect civil rights. He spoke out against cuts to federal social programs. He also opposed actions by the Reagan Administration that seemed to weaken civil rights enforcement. For example, he disagreed with the appointment of people to the Civil Rights Commission who were not strong supporters of civil rights. He also challenged the Justice Department's actions against groups that supported affirmative action.
Jacob's Urban Marshall Plan
In the early 1980s, John Jacob helped create a special plan to help cities recover. This plan was like the original 1947 Marshall Plan, which helped European countries rebuild after World War II. Jacob's plan aimed to get help from private businesses to create job training programs for people starting their careers.
Jacob also suggested that the Urban League should directly help people in need. This included providing housing and job placement for both minority groups and white people living in poverty. He also believed the government should create more jobs through public works projects and job training. Along with other civil rights groups, he encouraged businesses to create more jobs and opportunities for minorities.
Jacob, whose father was a Baptist minister, also believed strongly in "self-help." This meant encouraging people to improve their own lives and communities. He added important topics like voter registration, education, and drug control to the Urban League's main goals.
When George H. W. Bush became president, he was at first open to Jacob's "Urban Marshall Plan." Jacob was hopeful about working with the new administration. However, President Bush's decision to reject the Civil Rights Act of 1990 made their relationship difficult. The early 1990s also brought new court decisions and political pressure against affirmative action policies, which the Urban League strongly supported.
