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[[10 images - scenes from the award dinner]]]]

The coveted New York Urban League's Frederick Douglass Awards "for distinguished leadership toward equal opportunity" were presented tonight to Arthur Mitchell, founder and co-director of the Dance Theater of Harlem; the historic 369th Veterans' Association, led by its national president William D. DeFossett; and George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival. The awards were presented during the League's Fifteenth Annual Frederick Douglass Award Dinner at the Sheraton Centre.

The Frederick Douglass Medallion, the highest award of the New York Urban League, bears the words: "I know of no rights superior to those of humanity."

Approximately 1600 people attended the dinner which commemorates the League's sixty-first year of service and supports the League's activities on behalf of equal opportunity for Blacks and other minorities in employment, education, health and housing.

In his keynote address, Horace W. Morris, Executive Director of the League, projected that, "The immediate future will bring increasing complexities and frustrations in our . . . struggle to insure justice and decency for all people."

Mr. Morris cited the danger of growing public and private sector beliefs that "New York City will survive . . . if rid of the poor, the elderly, foster children and most of the Blacks and Hispanics."

And closed his address by vowing to continue to, "Right the wrong of the poorly educated . . . heal the hurt of the unemployed . . . and combat the denial and deprivation of racial discrimination."

Governor Hugh Carey declared May "Urban League Month" and brought greetings from the State of New York. Mayor Edward I. Koch brought greetings from the City of New York.

In addition, greetings were extended by both Mr. Richard Bliss, Chairman of the board of the New York Urban League, and Ms. Dolly Christian, League President.

This year's dinner co-chairmen were Ross Barzelay, President of General Foods Corporation; and Mrs. Margaret B. Young, civic activist, author and widow of the late National Urban League executive director.