Marc Morial

Marc H. Morial, the president and executive officer of the National Urban League will deliver N.C. Central University’s commencement address.

Morial is a New Orleans native and is the son of political figure Ernest Morial. He attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergraduate studies and a JD from Georgetown.

He has been involved for several years in public service. During the 1990s, Morial was a state senator in Louisiana, and mayor of New Orleans.

Since 2002, he has been the head of the National Urban League while continuing to work in the community.

As president of The National Urban League, Morial says he is committed to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream.

Morial also writes a weekly column titled “To Be Equal,” which is syndicated to more than 400 newspapers in the U.S.

In an April 1 column, Morial paid tribute to historian John Hope Franklin, who died March 25.

“John Hope Franklin was a once-in-a-lifetime gift to America, and indeed, to our world,” Morial wrote, citing Franklin’s work with Thurgood Marshall on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.

In a more recent column, Morial lauded President Obama’s emergence as a world leader.

NCCU’s 113th commencement exercises will take place 9 a.m. on May 16 at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium.