Nearly Two Decades Later, The State of Black Greater Philadelphia Returns
Some reports describe a problem. This one is built to change the outcome.
On November 16, 2026, the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia will release The State of Black Greater Philadelphia, our flagship research report, returning for the first time in nearly two decades. The last landmark edition was published in 2007. The region has changed since then. So has the way we intend to talk about it.
Not another disparities report
Earlier reports in this tradition measured the gap. This one is organized around what closes it. The State of Black Greater Philadelphia focuses on Black economic mobility: the structural drivers that shape it, the evidence of what works, and the specific asks that would move the region forward.
The report is built around six drivers of mobility:
Housing stability and affordability
Employment and workforce mobility
Education and career pathways
Justice-involved reentry and economic reintegration
Entrepreneurship, small business, and access to capital
Health access and community well-being
Each driver is examined the same way: the reality on the ground, the evidence, lived experience, the work already in action, the gap that remains, and the opportunity in front of us. Throughout, the report looks closely at the experiences of Black women, Black families, Black youth, Black people with disabilities, and Black LGBTQIA+ residents.
Bigger than Philadelphia
"Greater" is in the title on purpose. The report looks across the region, including Chester, Darby, Coatesville, Norristown, Camden, Lawnside, and Salem City, because economic mobility does not stop at a city line. Developed with Global Insight, it brings together researchers, practitioners, and community voices from across Greater Philadelphia.
Save the date
The report will be formally launched at our Annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Community Empowerment Luncheon on Friday, December 18, 2026. Consider this your soft save the date. Full details, including venue and registration, are coming soon.
Until then, watch this space. November 16 is closer than it looks.
Momentum Newsletter: September 2026 | Issue 9 | Impact
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