A civil rights organization declares a 'state of emergency' in the U.S.

Summary

Consider This from NPR: A Civil Rights Organization Declares a 'State of Emergency' in the U.S.

Released on July 22, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of NPR's "Consider This," host Juana Summers delves into a critical analysis of the Trump administration's actions regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies. The discussion centers around the National Urban League's latest report titled "State of Emergency: Democracy, Civil Rights, and Progress under Attack," presented by its president and CEO, Marc Morial.

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Trump Administration's Rollback of DEI Policies

Juana Summers opens the conversation by highlighting President Trump's campaign promises to dismantle what conservatives term as "woke" policies. Reflecting on these promises, she cites Trump's statements and executive actions:

• Trump's Commitment:

  • [00:08] Donald Trump declared, "On day one, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content onto our children."
  • [01:15] Trump further asserted, "We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools. And I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female."

• Policy Changes:

  • On his first day, Trump signed executive orders that rolled back DEI initiatives within the federal government and the military: [00:23] "We’ve ended the tyranny of so called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military."

These actions include placing federal employees involved in DEI roles on paid leave and revoking protections against discrimination based on race, color, sex, and religion for federal positions.

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National Urban League's "State of Emergency" Report

Marc Morial articulates the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that the Trump administration's policies represent an unprecedented assault on civil rights advancements:

• Historical Context and Current Assault:

  • [03:57] Morial states, "Seventy years ago, Brown versus the board of Education began the dismantling of segregation in America. Ten years later, the passage of the Civil Rights Act. For the first time, there were legal protections against discrimination."
  • He contrasts this with the present, noting, "In the last six months, we've seen the most aggressive assault on the progress we've made in modern American history."

• Mechanisms of Attack:

  • Morial highlights specific executive actions targeting key institutions:
    • [05:20] "Think about the executive orders that seek to shut down the enforcement mechanisms, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Education, and the complete change in mission of the Civil Rights Division."
  • These measures, according to Morial, undermine equal opportunity and racial justice, effectively weaponizing public policy against marginalized communities.

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Impact on Civil Rights and Democracy

The episode underscores how the administration's policies extend beyond mere political maneuvering, posing a fundamental threat to democracy and civil rights:

• Assault on Equal Opportunity:

  • [05:00] Morial explains, "It is a broad based assault using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity."
  • He discusses the implications for various federal programs, including Medicaid, food stamps, education, and veterans' benefits, which are being curtailed to weaken support systems for vulnerable populations.

• Case Study: Breonna Taylor:

  • Juana Summers references a controversial case to exemplify the administration's approach:
    • [06:39] Morial criticizes, "Why would you suspend all the civil rights cases that were pending when you took office? Why would you go to court in Louisville and suggest that an officer who had been convicted of a crime get a one day sentence for shooting into someone's home after the jury that heard the evidence said he violated her civil rights?"
    • This pertains to the notorious killing of Breonna Taylor, highlighting perceived injustices in sentencing and enforcement of civil rights laws.

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Response to Administration's Claims

Addressing the administration's defense of its actions, Morial refutes claims that DEI policies are discriminatory and that civil rights groups are sowing division:

• Debunking the Meritocracy Narrative:

  • [08:05] When confronted with the administration's promotion of "meritocracy" and "equality of opportunity," Morial counters, "The key is merit for who and what civil rights laws are about, or merit for everyone. In other words, give everyone with merit an opportunity. Historically, in this country, merit meant white men."

• Civil Rights Division's Alleged Neutrality:

  • Responding to the Department of Justice's assertion that the Civil Rights Division "enforces the law as written fairly, equally and without political agenda" ([06:18]), Morial dismisses it as "a bogus argument" and "a smokescreen" aimed at politicizing civil rights enforcement.

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Path Forward and Call to Action

Looking ahead, Morial emphasizes the necessity for policy reform and political engagement to counteract the administration's setbacks:

• Policy and Electoral Change:

  • [08:32] "I think it's going to require a change in policy. It's going to require a change in approach. We're not going to get that with the Trump administration clearly. So I think all roads are going to lead to the next set of elections in this country where Americans are going to have to vote on what they believe the policy and the approach ought to be when it comes to civil rights and equal opportunity."

• Inclusive Benefits for All Americans:

  • Morial expands the report's implications beyond Black Americans, stating, "While it is a state of black America report, it is more a state of the Union report. ... Diversity, equity, inclusion benefits women, women of all races and has substantially benefited white women. It benefits Latinos. It's benefited those who are disabled. It's benefited large numbers of Asians."

• Vision for a Diverse and Inclusive America:

  • [09:58] "More diverse America, a more inclusive America."
  • He reiterates the foundational principles of equality, urging all Americans to recognize and support the ongoing efforts to foster a truly inclusive society.

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Conclusion

This episode of "Consider This" provides a comprehensive overview of the National Urban League's declaration of a "state of emergency" for Black Americans under the Trump administration's policies. Through incisive interviews and critical analysis, Juana Summers and Marc Morial illuminate the profound challenges facing civil rights advancements and the imperative for collective action to uphold democracy and equality in the United States.

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Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump on DEI:

  • "We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools..." ([01:18])

• Marc Morial on Historical Progress:

  • "Seventy years ago, Brown versus the board of Education began the dismantling of segregation in America." ([03:57])

• Marc Morial on Meritocracy:

  • "Historically, in this country, merit meant white men." ([08:25])

• Marc Morial on Diversity Benefits:

  • "Diversity, equity, inclusion benefits women, women of all races and has substantially benefited white women." ([09:03])

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This summary was crafted based on the transcript provided and adheres to NPR's guidelines for clarity, attribution, and comprehensive coverage of the episode's content.

Transcript

[Juana Summers]

As a candidate in 2024, President Trump promised often to end what he and other conservatives describe as woke policies.

[Donald Trump]

On day one, I will sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content onto our children.

[Juana Summers]

And on his first day in office, he did in fact sign executive orders rolling back policies around diversity, equity and inclus.

[Marc Morial]

DEI is seemingly dead. A January order gave the federal government 120 days to identify so called discriminatory.

[Juana Summers]

DEI orders that all federal employees with DEI jobs be placed on paid leave.

[Marc Morial]

Executive order which also revokes protecting people seeking certain federal positions from being discriminated against based on the race, color, sex and religion, among other things.

[Juana Summers]

The executive actions and policy changes have continued over the last six months in the military and the federal government.

[Donald Trump]

We've ended the tyranny of so called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military with affirmative.

[Juana Summers]

Action and an education in transgender rights.

[Donald Trump]

We have removed the poison of critical race theory from our public schools. And I signed an order making it the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.

[Marc Morial]

In the last six months, we've seen the most aggressive assault on the progress we've made in modern American history. It's bigger than politics because it is a broad based assault using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity.

[Juana Summers]

That's Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League. Consider this. The Trump administration says DEI policies are themselves discriminatory. One of the oldest civil rights organizations in America isn't buying that. It says that in 2025, the administration's actions have created a state of emergency for black Americans and undermined democracy for all Americans. From npr, I'm Juana Summers.

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[Juana Summers]

It'S Consider this from NPR. For 49 years, the National Urban League has released a report it calls the State of Black America. This year its title is State of Emergency. Democracy, Civil Rights, and Progress under Attack. What does it mean that one of the country's oldest civil rights groups is now declaring an emergency for black Americans? Marc Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

[Marc Morial]

Great to be with you.

[Juana Summers]

I want to start off with that question. Briefly describe for us the state of emergency for black America that you see and spell out in this report.

[Marc Morial]

There's an unprecedented attack on the gains of the last 70 years. And think about it. Seventy years ago, Brown versus the board of Education began the dismantling of segregation in America. Ten years later, the passage of the Civil Rights Act. For the first time, there were legal protections against discrimination. In fact, not just discrimination in law. That effort is being attacked viciously now. And how is it being attacked? Voter suppression and attack on equal opportunity under the guise that somehow equal opportunity is discriminatory in and of itself. That's all the attacks on DE and I are, and the cutbacks on government initiatives and programs with Medicaid, food stamps, education, veterans benefits that help make America stronger and better and create opportunity for all. Taken together, in the last six months, we've seen the most aggressive assault on the progress we've made in modern American history.

[Juana Summers]

There's a lot to dig into here, so I just want to pull apart some of the specifics. You mentioned, the war on policies supporting diversity, equity and inclusion, which I'll note has been happening for a few years now. To your mind, what has changed since people who oppose these types of policies came into power in the federal government in 2025?

[Marc Morial]

Think about the executive orders that seek to shut down the enforcement mechanisms, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Education, and the complete change in mission of the Civil Rights Division. All of these specific things, when taken together, just simply represent an assault on the idea of equal opportunity, on the idea of racial justice, on the idea of, yes, diversity, equity and inclusion, which is a strength of America, a powerful, powerful strength of America. And that is why so many of us have had to stand up a very strong effort to resist through the courts. Some are protesting. We're doing everything possible to try to slow down this movement. And it is a movement. It's called the Maga movement, You can call it that, but it's bigger than politics because it is a broad based assault using public policy as a weapon against equal opportunity.

[Juana Summers]

I, I, well, you mentioned the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division here, and I just want to present you with something that the department posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. They point out that the Civil Rights Division has returned to enforcing the law is written fairly, equally and without political agenda, end quote. How do you read that?

[Marc Morial]

It's a bogus argument. It's a cover story. It's a smokescreen behind the effort to weaponize the Civil Rights Division. Why would you suspend all the civil rights cases that were pending when you took office? Why would you go to court in Louisville and suggest that an officer who had been convicted of a crime get a one day sentence for shooting into someone's home after the jury that heard the evidence said he violated her civil rights?

[Juana Summers]

And you're talking there about the case related to the killing of Breonna Taylor.

[Marc Morial]

Yes. And sentencing guidelines recommend a sentence of multiple years. The department's rhetoric rings hollow with many of us because what we understand is that it is a diversion. It is trying to divert people away from the real facts, is that they're saying, we're not going to prosecute police officers who violate people's civil rights. We're not going to attack corruption in police departments or systemic, if you will, corruption or brutality. Instead, we're going to use the Civil Rights Division to wage war on our political enemies.

[Juana Summers]

Harrison Fields, who's a White House spokesman, has said that civil rights groups that oppose the Trump administration aren't, and I'm quoting, Harrison Fields here, aren't advancing anything but hate and division while the president is focused on uniting our country. Mark Morial, this administration has repeatedly touted and tried to showcase efforts to promote what it calls meritocracy and it argues is equality of opportunity. What do you make of that?

[Marc Morial]

The key is merit for who and what civil rights laws are about, or merit for everyone. In other words, give everyone with merit an opportunity. Historically, in this country, we did not merit meant white men. That's what it meant, in fact, and that is how the country was organized until the civil rights laws got passed.

[Juana Summers]

What would you like to see in response to these actions we've been discussing from the Trump administration? What's the playbook?

[Marc Morial]

Well, I think it's going to require a change in policy. It's going to require a change in approach. We're not going to get that with the Trump administration clearly. So I think all roads are going to lead to the next set of elections in this country where Americans are going to have to vote on what they believe the policy and the approach ought to be when it comes to civil rights and equal opportunity.

[Juana Summers]

This report is the state of black America. But I just want to ask you, what do you hope that all Americans of all races take away from this report?

[Marc Morial]

I'm glad you asked that question because in many respects, while it is a state of black America report, it is more a state of the Union report. In this climate, the attacks on the rule of law, the attacks let's just take diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity, equity, inclusion benefits women, women of all races and has substantially benefited white women. It benefits Latinos. It's benefited those who are disabled. It's benefited large, large numbers of Asians.

I mean, the concept of diversity has.

Been about taking those who've been locked out, left out and marginalized and giving them a real opportunity to advance into the American mainstream. And so this report, this report is for all Americans. We should understand the Founding Fathers said that we hold these truths to be self evident, that all people are created equal. If those principles mean something, then a.

More diverse America, a more inclusive America.

[Juana Summers]

Is the way we've been speaking with Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. Thank you so much.

[Marc Morial]

Hey, thank you for having me.

[Juana Summers]

This episode was produced by Mia Venkat with audio engineering by J. Siz. It was edited by Patrick Jaranwattanan and Nadia Lancy. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. It's Consider this from npr. I'm Juana Summers.

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