The Knoxville Area Urban League, a civil rights, economic development and social service organization, came into existence in 1968 at the height of the civil rights movement to promote equal employment opportunities for African-Americans in Knoxville, Tennessee. Today, the organization is a non-profit, non-partisan, interracial community-based organization, serving a diverse client base in Knox, Blount and Anderson counties. The Knoxville Area Urban League is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the country’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its local affiliates. The National Urban League has more than 100 affiliates located in 35 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services to more than 2 million people nationwide through programs, advocacy and research.