Urban League report outlines plight, progress in state of Black America.

With one-third of Afro-American families "trapped near or below the poverty line," the U.S. Afro-American society will remain socially stagnant in the 21st century unless its communities experience less crime, demand political respect and exploit their economic power, says Marc H. Morial, the president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League (NUL). In his third month as NUL president, Morial, last week made public the annual compilation of essays and papers on the plight and progress of African-Americans. The report, focusing on the Afro-American society, comes as high-profile issues impact the community.