Indianapolis Urban League: programs, leadership, and impact
The Indianapolis Urban League is a community-based social service and civil rights organization that serves Marion County as a local affiliate of the National Urban League. The Indianapolis Urban League was founded in fall 1965 by civic leaders Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr. The Indianapolis Urban League sits at 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, inside the Sam H. Jones Center.
The Indianapolis Urban League is led by President and CEO Anthony “Tony” Mason since October 2014. Lilly Endowment announced a $100 million grant to the Indianapolis Urban League in August 2020. Indianapolis hosted the 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference from July 24 to July 27 at the Indiana Convention Center.
From its founding in fall 1965 to its current work in Marion County, learn how Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr. Built the Indianapolis Urban League, Sam H. Jones and Joseph Slash shaped its early decades, and President Tony Mason leads the agency today.
The $100 million Lilly Endowment grant funds the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative, what the Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon delivers each year, and how to volunteer, donate, or sponsor. Each section answers a common question and points you to a clear next step.
What is the Indianapolis Urban League?
The Indianapolis Urban League is a community-based social service and civil rights organization that serves Marion County as a local affiliate of the National Urban League. The agency runs job training, education, housing, and advocacy programs to advance the Indianapolis african american quality of life. So what is the Indianapolis Urban League at street level?
It serves clients from one campus on Indiana Avenue and stands as one of 90 affiliates in the National Urban League network. Most services are free for residents who qualify, and the agency partners with hospitals, employers, and faith groups across the metro.
What is the IUL’s mission and five-point strategy?
The Indianapolis Urban League’s mission is to assist African Americans, other minorities, and disadvantaged people in achieving social and economic equality. The agency follows the National Urban League’s five-point empowerment strategy, which guides every program and grant decision. The Indianapolis Urban League logo carries the torch and silhouette of the National Urban League brand, signaling shared values across all 90 affiliate cities. The strategy keeps staff focused on five linked pillars than scattered one-off projects.
The five pillars are.
- Education and youth empowerment
- Economic empowerment
- Health and quality of life empowerment
- Civic engagement and leadership empowerment
- Civil rights and racial justice empowerment
When was the Indianapolis Urban League founded?
The Indianapolis Urban League was founded in fall 1965 by civic leaders Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr. As the local affiliate of the National Urban League.
The agency grew out of the Association for Merit Employment, a 1952 group focused on fair hiring of Black workers. Today the exchange Indianapolis Urban League event series carries that founding spirit forward through forums on race, jobs, and policy. The exchange at the Indianapolis Urban League brings executives, civic leaders, and residents together for civil dialog at venues across downtown.
What is the National Urban League movement?
The National Urban League formed in 1910 in New York City to serve Black families moving north during the Migration. Three smaller groups merged into one parent body that pushed fair hiring, housing, and education across major cities. The Indianapolis affiliate joined that movement in 1965 and now anchors the Midwest network.
The Indianapolis Urban League new beginnings program reflects that long arc of migration support, helping new arrivals and longtime residents alike land stable jobs. The Indianapolis Urban League address sits at 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, on the same street that hosted Black-owned businesses during Indianapolis’s Avenue heyday.
Who were the Indianapolis Urban League founders Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr.?
Founders Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr. Launched the Indianapolis Urban League in fall 1965 to assist african americans facing hiring and housing barriers.
Binford was a white business leader who chaired the Association for Merit Employment and ran a major freight company. Richardson, a Black attorney, former state legislator, and longtime civil rights advocate, brought legal grit and statehouse contacts to the project. The pair gave urban league indy a strong launch in a city still divided by housing covenants and segregated schools. Their cross-racial coalition style, blending corporate capital with grassroots organizing, still shapes the agency’s board recruitment and program design.
Who was Sam H. Jones in the IUL’s early years?
Sam H. Jones served as the first long-term president of the Indianapolis Urban League from 1966 to 2002. He grew the agency from a small startup into a major Indianapolis institution and pressed local government on hiring and contracting justice for Black workers and minority firms.
The jones center on Indiana Avenue carries his name today as a tribute to that 36-year run. Jones expanded programs in workforce training, youth development, and family services through steady leadership, even during lean budget years. He mentored a generation of Black professionals who later led nonprofits, agencies, and elected offices across central Indiana.
Where is the Indianapolis Urban League located?
The Indianapolis Urban League sits at 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202, inside the Sam H. Jones Center. The Indianapolis Urban League Indiana Avenue Indianapolis IN U.S.A.
Address sits in the historic Black cultural district, blocks from the Madame Walker Legacy Center and IUPUI. Clients reach the building by car, bus, or the IndyGo Red Line, which stops within a short walk. The Urban League Indiana Avenue Indianapolis Marion County IN site holds staff offices, classrooms, a computer lab, meeting rooms, and a small conference space used for community forums and program orientations.
What is the Sam H. Jones Center on Indiana Avenue?
The Sam H. Jones Center on Indiana Avenue houses every Indianapolis Urban League program under one roof. The Urban League Indiana Avenue Indianapolis Center Township IN address makes the building easy to reach from any neighborhood in Marion County. Inside, families apply for Indianapolis Urban League rental assistance and housing counseling at intake desks staffed by trained case managers.
Job seekers meet career coaches in private rooms, and youth attend tutoring in dedicated classrooms after school. The building name honors Sam H. Jones, the agency’s longest-serving president, with a portrait and historical timeline displayed in the lobby for visitors.
Who leads the Indianapolis Urban League?
The Indianapolis Urban League is led by President and CEO Anthony “Tony” Mason since October 2014. Mason reports to a volunteer Board of Directors drawn from local business, faith, and civic leaders. Together they set strategy for the Urban League Indiana Avenue Indianapolis Indiana operation and approve program priorities each year.
The Urban League Indiana Avenue Indianapolis IN United States office runs day-to-day work through a senior team that covers programs, development, finance, and communications. The board hires the CEO, approves the annual budget, sets policy direction, and reviews progress against the five-point empowerment strategy.
Who is President and CEO Tony Mason?
President tony mason leads the Indianapolis Urban League as President and CEO since October 2014, with focus on education, jobs, and racial equity in Marion County. Mason joined the agency after years in Atlanta nonprofit and sports leadership, including roles tied to the Atlanta Falcons and the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. He grew the League’s budget through major grants and launched the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative. Under his watch the agency landed a $100 million Lilly Endowment grant and broadened partnerships with hospital systems and universities.
Who serves on the IUL Board of Directors?
The Indianapolis Urban League Board of Directors governs the agency from the 777 indiana Avenue headquarters. Board members set strategy on health, education, jobs, and civil rights work, then track results through quarterly staff reports. They approve the annual budget, hire the President and CEO, and lead fundraising for major events.
Seats include corporate executives, hospital leaders, attorneys, pastors, educators, and small business owners. The mix reflects the cross-sector coalition founded by Binford and Richardson in 1965, with members rotating through committees on finance, programs, governance, and advocacy.
Who were past presidents Sam H. Jones and Joseph Slash?
Past presidents Sam H. Jones and Joseph Slash shaped the Indianapolis Urban League across five decades as a community-based social service and civil rights agency. Jones led from 1966 to 2002, a 36-year run that built the foundation of programs, partnerships, and political clout.
Slash followed from 2002 to 2014 and steered the agency through the Recession, holding services steady while donor budgets shrank. Both kept the mission is to assist african americans, other minorities, and disadvantaged residents at the center of every decision. Slash served as deputy mayor of Indianapolis under Mayor William Hudnut before joining the League, bringing City Hall experience and budget skill.
What programs does the Indianapolis Urban League offer?
The Indianapolis Urban League offers programs in workforce development, entrepreneurship, education, family services, and health and wellness. Urban League Indiana Avenue Downtown Indianapolis IN serves as the central hub for these services, with intake desks open Monday through Friday. The urban league Indianapolis indiana program portfolio targets job training, college readiness, reentry support, and small business growth.
Each program connects clients to coaches, employer partners, and community resources, with most services free for qualifying participants. Staff cross-refer clients between programs so that one family can use workforce, family services, and health navigation at the same time without filling out duplicate paperwork.
What is the Workforce Development and Center for Working Families program?
Workforce Development at the Indianapolis Urban League helps adults secure stable jobs through coaching, training, and employer matching. The Center for Working Families anchors this work with a bundled approach to economic stability. Clients meet with three coaches: an employment coach, a financial coach, and an income support specialist, and each coach tracks progress in a shared case file. This interracial team approach treats career growth, money management, and benefits access as connected goals for long-term family development.
What is the Training Works Program?
Training Works is a tuition-free job training program that pays for industry-recognized certifications in high-demand fields across central Indiana. Each track leads directly to in-demand jobs with local employers, and staff cover testing fees, books, uniforms, and provide job placement support after certification. Coaches stay in touch for 12 months after hire to help with workplace issues, raises, and next steps.
Common Training Works certification tracks include.
- CDL Class An and B, plus Forklift
- CCMA, CNA, Phlebotomy, and Pharmacy Technician
- CompTIA A+ and Patient Access
- HVAC and Welding
- Culinary Arts and Dental Assisting
What is the New Beginnings Program?
New Beginnings is a two-week intensive workforce-readiness workshop that prepares adults for sustained employment in Marion County. The local program meets daily and covers soft skills, resume writing, interview practice, and workplace expectations. Participants build a job search plan, complete mock interviews, and meet hiring partners during in-class recruiter visits.
Graduates earn a completion certificate and gain access to Preferred Employers Program partners and follow-up coaching. The cohort model builds peer support networks that often outlast the workshop itself.
What is the Professional Advantage Program?
Professional Advantage Program serves disadvantaged individuals seeking professional and white-collar career paths in central Indiana. The program targets adults ready to move beyond entry-level work into office, technical, and management roles. Reaching across Marion County and into every suburb served by the League, staff travel to host sessions at libraries and community centers. Coaches train participants on professional dress, business communication, salary negotiation, and certifications in fields like project management, accounting, and human resources.
What is the CARE Program for returning citizens?
The CARE Program is a one-year reentry and reintegration support program for returning citizens leaving incarceration. CARE staff specialize in the barriers black and brown returning citizens face when rebuilding their lives. Services start before release through in-prison sessions and continue for twelve months after reentry. Case managers help clients secure housing, find employment, restore IDs, file expungements, and access mental health support through partner clinics.
What is the Preferred Employers Program?
The Preferred Employers Program connects job-ready clients to hiring partners committed to diverse hiring across central Indiana. The program is built to help individuals move from training into stable jobs with livable wages and benefits, not placements that turn over in 90 days. Partners include the JW Marriott, major hospital systems, manufacturing firms, and city government agencies, all which agree to share open roles directly with coaches.
Each partner agrees to interview Urban League referrals, post jobs early to coaches, and report outcomes back to staff for ongoing review. Quarterly partner meetings keep hiring practices honest and surface gaps in pipelines for women, returning citizens, and youth.
What is the Saving Our Sons Program?
Saving Our Sons is a mentoring and life-skills program for minority young men ages 12 to 18 across Indianapolis. The program targets boys at risk of school disengagement, juvenile justice involvement, or community violence, with referrals from schools, judges, and parents. Mentors meet weekly through group sessions and one-on-one coaching covering financial literacy, conflict resolution, and college planning.
Boys take field trips to law firms, hospitals, tech companies, and cultural sites across the city. Rites-of-passage ceremonies mark progress, and parents join family nights that build trust between the program, schools, and home.
What is the IUL’s Project Ready college and career readiness program?
Project Ready prepares teens for college and career success through after-school programming and summer institutes at the Sam H. Jones Center. The non-partisan program serves middle and high school students with a strong STEM emphasis, including robotics, coding, and lab science.
Sessions cover ACT and SAT prep, college applications, financial aid, and career exploration in fields the students choose. Students tour colleges, meet professionals, and build portfolios for scholarships under the National Urban League Project Ready model.
What is the Entrepreneurship Center Program?
The Entrepreneurship Center Program (ECP) is a National Urban League small business designation that supports minority entrepreneurs in Marion County. The Indianapolis ECP, part of the National Urban League network whose programming expanded through the 1965 civil rights era, helps black-owned businesses launch, grow, and scale. Services include business plan coaching, financial literacy, access to capital, and bid prep for government contracts. Cohort-based classes meet for several weeks and end with pitch nights where founders present products to investors and corporate buyers.
What family services does the IUL offer?
Family Services delivers wraparound social service support for households facing financial, housing, or food insecurity in Marion County. Caseworkers screen families for unmet needs and connect them to internal programs and external partners. Services include rental assistance, utility assistance, food pantry referrals, and emergency aid.
Staff help families apply for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, and child care subsidies, and provide eviction prevention support during court mediation. The team runs the Indianapolis Urban League food giveaway events on a recurring schedule, distributing fresh produce and pantry staples to qualifying residents.
What health and wellness services does the IUL provide?
Health and wellness services at the Indianapolis Urban League promote prevention, screening, and education for underserved residents across Marion County. The agency provides free HIV and STI testing on site and at community events, with same-day results and linkage to care. Staff deliver hepatitis and TB prevention education through workshops and health fairs held at churches, schools, and apartment complexes. Health navigators help residents enroll in Medicaid, access mammograms and prostate screenings, and join wellness programming on diabetes and hypertension.
What is the Burke, Dabner, Rodman Family Scholarship?
The Burke, Dabner, Rodman Family Scholarship supports Black students from Indianapolis pursuing higher education at accredited colleges. The award reflects the League’s policy of removing financial barriers for promising students of color. Three local families established the scholarship to honor mentors who shaped their paths into business, law, and public service.
Recipients receive funds for tuition, books, and academic fees. Applicants submit transcripts, essays, and recommendation letters, and a selection committee prioritizes financial need and strong academic records.
How does the Indianapolis Urban League serve the community?
To serve the community, the Indianapolis Urban League works through five empowerment pillars covering education, economics, health, civic life, and civil rights. Each pillar guides programs, partnerships, and Indianapolis Urban League jobs that connect residents to staff who share their backgrounds. Direct service combines with policy advocacy at City-County Council and Statehouse hearings on housing, voting, and criminal justice.
The League pairs job training with rental aid, food access, and youth tutoring under one roof. Every pillar feeds the others, so a parent who finds work also gains health coverage, a scholarship for a child, and a stronger civic voice.
How does the IUL support education and youth empowerment?
To support education and youth empowerment, the League opens college and career pathways for Indianapolis youth from kindergarten through age 24. Project Ready, summer learning camps, and mentoring circles run inside Indianapolis Public Schools and at the Sam H. Jones Center on weekday afternoons.
Tutors help students raise reading scores and prepare for the SAT and ACT, while parent coaches walk families through FAFSA forms and scholarship deadlines. The Saving Our Sons program targets young Black men with academic coaching, rites-of-passage events, and field trips that expose them to careers in law, medicine, and tech.
How does the IUL drive economic empowerment?
Economic empowerment builds family wealth through jobs, financial coaching, and business support that drive social and economic equality across Indianapolis. Workforce counselors place clients into roles at JW Marriott, Eli Lilly, and Cummins, with average starting wages above the county’s low-wage floor. The Center for Working Families offers free tax prep, credit repair, and emergency rental help, all under one case plan.
Aspiring owners use the Entrepreneurship Center to write business plans and access capital from community lenders and microloan funds. Returning citizens enroll in CARE to find employment after incarceration and rebuild credit, transportation, and stable housing.
How does the IUL pursue health and quality of life empowerment?
Health and quality of life empowerment closes racial gaps in chronic disease through the Indianapolis African American quality of life initiative. Nurses and community health workers run blood pressure checks, diabetes screenings, and prostate cancer awareness drives at churches, salons, and barbershops. The League partners with Eskenazi Health and Marion County Public Health to bring vaccines into neighborhoods through weekend pop-up clinics. Mental health counselors offer culturally competent therapy at low or no cost, and healthy food boxes reach families through monthly distributions paired with cooking demos.
How does the IUL foster civic engagement and leadership empowerment?
Civic engagement and leadership empowerment trains residents to vote, run for office, and lead local boards in ways that customize each cohort to its neighborhood. Non-partisan voter registration drives and candidate forums run each election cycle at libraries and community centers. Staff prepare residents for Census participation and school board meetings through workshops on public comment and civic data. The Exchange at IUL grooms young professionals for civic appointments and nonprofit boards, and alumni now serve on the City-County Council, township boards, and statewide commissions.
How does the IUL advance civil rights and racial justice empowerment?
Civil rights and racial justice empowerment defends equal protection through a rights organization built into the National Urban League network. Staff document discrimination complaints in housing, employment, lending, and policing, then refer cases to legal partners or government enforcement agencies. Attorneys partner with the NAACP and the ACLU of Indiana on impact litigation that targets systemic barriers, not individual incidents.
Policy analysts testify before the Indiana General Assembly on voting rights and criminal justice reform, with written briefs filed for committee hearings. The annual State of Black Indianapolis report spotlights racial disparities in income, health, and education to guide funders and policymakers.
How is the Indianapolis Urban League funded?
The Indianapolis Urban League is funded through foundation grants, government contracts, corporate sponsors, individual donors, and earned revenue tied to Indianapolis Urban League careers training contracts. Lilly Endowment and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust provide major multi-year gifts that anchor program budgets. United Way of Central Indiana sends annual operating support and helps fund the Center for Working Families model.
Corporate partners such as Eli Lilly, Cummins, and OneAmerica sponsor events, fund scholarships, and underwrite training cohorts. Audited financials post on the League website each year for public review, and the development team publishes impact reports that connect dollars to client outcomes.
What is the $100 million Lilly Endowment grant?
Lilly Endowment announced a $100 million grant to the Indianapolis Urban League in August 2020. The award stands as one of the largest gifts ever made to a local civil rights organization in Indiana history. Lilly Endowment chose the League to lead a citywide response to racial disparities exposed by the pandemic and by years of unequal investment.
The 100 million dollars seeds a long-term initiative than a one-year program, with payouts spread across many years to fund grantmaking, capacity building, and direct services. Funds support Black-led nonprofits in Marion County, including operating grants, technical assistance, and shared-services partnerships that build long-term financial health.
What is the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative?
The Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative channels the Lilly Endowment grant into Black-led organizations across Marion County. The first round distributed more than $20 million to 52 organizations, including Flanner House, Edna Martin Christian Center, Center of Wellness for Urban Women, and Indiana Black Expo. Recipient leaders helped design the priorities through listening sessions held in neighborhoods, churches, and online forums.
The initiative targets education, economic mobility, health, and arts and culture, with cross-sector working groups in each focus area. Technical assistance strengthens accounting, fundraising, and board governance so grantee groups can sustain growth past the initial award.
How does United Way of Central Indiana support the IUL?
United Way of Central Indiana support powers core operations and the popular Indianapolis Urban League job fair every year. United Way directs unrestricted dollars from corporate workplace campaigns to the League’s basic-needs services, including rental aid, utility help, and food access. The partnership predates the Lilly Endowment award by decades and grew through joint planning on poverty reduction across central Indiana.
Joint initiatives focus on workforce, financial coaching, and family stability through shared case-management software and coordinated outreach. United Way also funds the Center for Working Families model the League runs at the Sam H. Jones Center alongside other affiliate sites.
What events does the Indianapolis Urban League host?
The Indianapolis Urban League hosts signature events that include the Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon, The Exchange at IUL gatherings, job fairs, scholarship galas, and the National Urban League conference when Indianapolis serves as host city. The Indianapolis Urban League ULI calendar runs from January policy briefings to December youth showcases. The annual luncheon brings guests to honor civil rights leaders and raise operating funds for the next program year.
The 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference featured Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in Indianapolis, drawing thousands of delegates. Equal Opportunity Day marked its 60th edition in 2025, and Indianapolis Urban League IUL events continue to anchor the regional civil rights calendar.
What is the Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon?
The Equal Opportunity Day Luncheon (EOD) is the IUL’s flagship signature event and its largest fundraiser of the year. The 60th edition took place on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, inside the Sagamore Ballroom at the Indiana Convention Center. Christian Picciolini delivered the keynote address, sharing his journey from extremism to peace advocacy.
EOD brings together civic leaders, corporate sponsors, and program participants each year, and proceeds fund workforce training, youth empowerment, and family services. Award presentations honor advocates who advance racial equity and economic mobility, and tickets, tables, and program-book ads give attendees a direct path to support the mission.
What is The Exchange at IUL?
The Exchange at IUL is the affiliate’s young professionals fellowship and leadership development group for adults aged 21 to 40. Members build careers, expand civic networks, and mentor the next child generation across central Indiana through hands-on service projects. The fellowship supports the broader Urban League mission through professional events, community outreach, and policy briefings. Members pay annual dues that unlock exclusive programming, board-prep workshops, and signature mixers throughout the year.
The Exchange pipeline serves three roles.
- Civic appointments on city boards and commissions
- Nonprofit board seats across Marion County
- Corporate diversity councils and ERG leadershipLocal employers recruit Exchange members for internships, fellowships, and full-time roles through hiring nights at the Sam H. Jones Center. The group also champions youth programming that supports every child served by IUL.
What was the 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference?
Indianapolis hosted the 2019 National Urban League Annual Conference from July 24 to July 27 at the Indiana Convention Center. The gathering placed Indianapolis on the map of premier national Urban League locations and drew thousands of delegates. Then-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both addressed attendees with policy speeches on jobs, voting rights, and criminal justice.
Workshops covered voting rights, jobs, education, and entrepreneurship across affiliate cities, with parallel tracks for youth and young professionals. The conference boosted tourism, civic pride, and recruitment for the affiliate.
How can I get involved with the Indianapolis Urban League?
To get involved with the Indianapolis Urban League, call (317) 693-7603, visit indplsul.org, or stop by the Sam H. Jones Center at 777 Indiana Avenue. Three pathways open the door, and each option matches a level of time, talent, and treasure.
The three pathways are simple. Volunteers offer time and skills, donors give one-time, monthly, or planned gifts, and sponsors back an event or program as a corporate partner.
Prospective volunteers complete an interest form online and join an orientation session within two weeks. Donors set up one-time gifts or recurring monthly contributions through the secure giving page. Corporate partners speak with the development team to design custom sponsorship packages tied to events, scholarships, or hiring goals. Program participants apply through the same channels for workforce, youth, and family services, and staff respond within a few business days during normal office hours.
How can I volunteer with the urban league of Indianapolis?
To volunteer, personalize your service by matching skills, schedules, and passions to active program needs across the affiliate. Tutors support Project Ready students, mentors guide Saving Our Sons participants, and event teams staff the EOD luncheon each June. Background checks apply for roles that involve youth or returning citizens, and orientation covers safety, confidentiality, and program goals.
Group volunteer days suit corporate teams, faith communities, and college clubs. Volunteers also help at food giveaways, health fairs, and community resource events, and hours count toward school service requirements or workplace giving programs.
How can I donate to the Indianapolis Urban League?
To donate, fuel employment programs, scholarships, family services, and the Sam H. Jones Center directly. Gifts arrive online, by check, by stock transfer, or through donor-advised funds, and all donations are tax-deductible.
Monthly sustainers stabilize program budgets, while employer matching gifts double or triple the impact of each contribution. Tribute gifts honor a loved one, and planned giving and bequests build a lasting legacy through estate planning. The League sends tax acknowledgment letters within 30 days and shares impact reports tied to program outcomes.
How can I sponsor an Indianapolis Urban League event?
To sponsor an event, align your brand with workforce, youth, housing, and civil rights programming across the affiliate. Companies sponsor the EOD luncheon, Project Ready, the Entrepreneurship Center, and rental assistance drives at tier levels that match marketing budgets. Naming opportunities exist for cohorts, scholarships, and signature event experiences, and the development team builds custom packages for each partner.
Sponsor benefits include logo placement, speaking slots, table seats, and access to talent pipelines through hiring nights. Housing-focused sponsors fund eviction prevention, utility relief, and homeownership counseling.
Frequently asked questions about the Indianapolis Urban League
These advocacy-focused questions cover the most common queries about the Indianapolis Urban League’s history, leadership, programs, and community impact.
Who founded the Indianapolis Urban League?
The Indianapolis Urban League was founded by Thomas W. Binford and Henry J. Richardson Jr. in the fall of 1965.
Binford was a prominent civic leader, and Richardson was a pioneering Black attorney and former state legislator. Their partnership shaped early initiatives, including community outreach, hiring advocacy, and the affiliate’s first Indianapolis Urban League food giveaway efforts at neighborhood churches.
What does the Indianapolis Urban League do?
The Indianapolis Urban League advances economic, educational, and social parity for African Americans and other underserved residents. The Indianapolis Urban League president, Tony Mason, leads workforce training, youth programs, family services, health initiatives, and civil rights advocacy across Marion County. The affiliate also operates housing support, scholarships, and entrepreneurship programs through the Sam H. Jones Center.
Who is the CEO of the urban league of Indianapolis?
The CEO of the urban league of Indianapolis is Anthony “Tony” Mason, who has served as President and CEO since October 2014. He guides strategy, partnerships, and the $100 million Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative across Marion County. Mason represents the League across local, state, and national platforms and reports to a volunteer Board of Directors.
How can I apply for Indianapolis Urban League programs?
To apply for Indianapolis Urban League programs, visit indplsul.org, call (317) 693-7603, or stop by 777 Indiana Avenue. Applicants complete intake paperwork and meet with a case manager who screens for eligibility and connects them to the right program. Program eligibility, including the Indianapolis Urban League scholarship, varies by income, residency, and educational status.
Where is the Indianapolis Urban League IUL located?
The Indianapolis Urban League IUL is located at the Sam H. Jones Center, 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46202. The headquarters sits on historic Indiana Avenue in downtown Indianapolis, blocks from the Madame Walker Legacy Center. Office hours run Monday through Friday, and visitors can reach the front desk at the Indianapolis Urban League phone number (317) 693-7603.