The Frederick Douglass Awards Dinner was initiated in 1965 to acknowledge and honor leaders in the private and public sectors whose contributions to society serve to eliminate racial barriers and promote opportunities for the disadvantaged. The award was named in honor of Frederick Douglass, a former slave who escaped to freedom to become one of the nation’s most prominent and influential abolitionists. Based on the strength and brilliance of his advocacy and writings, Douglass is widely regarded as the "Father of the Civil Rights Movement."  

Proceeds from the Frederick Douglass Awards Dinner enable The New York Urban League to positively impact the lives of more than 15,000 directly and 35,000 indirectly under-resourced residents each year. During this current period of increasing economic challenges, your support of the awards dinner and the Urban League’s programs and services is ever more critical.