Box 7, Folder 8, Document 45

Box 7, Folder 8, Document 45

The Urban Coalition / Federal Bar Building West [1819 H Street, N.W. Washington, D. C. | 20006

Steering Committee Co-chairmen: Andrew Heiskel/ / A. Philip Randolph

January 12, 1968

NATIONAL COORDINATORS WEEKLY REPORT

At a meeting in Washington the night of January 8, the Coalition
Steering Committee authorized the creation of an Executive Committee
and charged it with the responsibility for making an early recommen-
dation on a permanent organizational structure for the Coalition.

The 15-man Executive Committee will be composed of representatives
of all groups active in the Coalition. Membership will be allocated
as follows: labor, civil rights, city government--two each; church
groups--three; business--four. The Co-Chairmen of the Steering
Committee will also serve on the Executive Committee.

Each group will select its own representatives for the Executive
Committee, subject only to the condition that each person selected
must agree with Coalition support of a three-point set of principles:

(1) What the private sector can do on its own;
(2) What the private sector can do in concert with government.
(3) What the government must do to meet needs beyond
the reach of private efforts.
LOCAL COALITIONS

The Task Force on Local Coalitions reported to the Steering
Committee that local coalitions have been organized, or are in
the process of being organized, in 27 cities (see attached list)
and that there is active interest in 16 other cities.

Steering Committee Co-Chairman Andrew Heiskell commented: "I
find it extremely encouraging that all sections of the country
are represented in the list. This is real progress. We have
felt all along that the development of strong local groups is
of prime importance."

Indicative of the geographic spread of local coalitions was two
trips made during the week by the National Coordinators to meet
with local groups. John Feild went to Fresno, California, Ron
Linton to Bridgeport, Connecticut.

National Coordinators: John Feild / Ron M. Linton
Telephone 293-1530
On Friday, some 350 representatives from 82 cities in 21 states
met in New York City for the third in the series of meetings on
Mobilizing Local Coalitions. The interest was high, the speakers
were excellent, and the overall staff consensus was that it was
the best meeting held to date.

Speakers included Co-Chairman Andrew Heiskell, the Most Rev. John
J. Maguire, Administrator of the Archdiocese of New York, Equitable
Life Assurance Society Board Chairman James F. Oates, Jr., Rabbi
Joseph P. Sternstein, Christian A. Herter, Jr. Chairman of the New
York City Coalition, Mayor John Lindsay, Dr. Edler G. Hawkins, -
AFL-CIO Legislative Representative Ray Denison, and National Urban
League Executive Director Whitney M. Young, Jr.

LEGISLATION

The Steering Committee authorized the release of a strong statement
of legislative goals of the Coalition to coincide with the opening
of the new session of Congress (see attachment).

The Washington Post commented in its Sunday edition: Much of the
impetus for any crisis legislation will come from the civic-
business-labor-and civil rights forces organized as The Urban
Coalition, which yesterday warned Congress that "the hour is late."