50th Anniversary For Miami's Urban League President
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The president of Miami's Urban League is celebrating a whopping five decades on the job.
T. Willard Fair took over at the young age of 24.
"Anything of importance that has advanced the cause of black people your Urban League was either there leading it or urging it to become successful," Fair said.
Being able to say that is a rather large accomplishment for his organization, he said, especially considering the racial climate leading up to the civil rights movement.
"I didn't see them as challenges, I saw them as opportunities."
And those opportunities were great. Under his leadership, Miami's Urban League made a lot of strides in the right direction.
"What we understood was that prior to the civil rights act a lot of black folks had gone to college and got all kinds of degrees and when they got out of school, could not find a job," said Fair.
At that point Fair said it became clear how important not just education, but equal education was to the community. He created Partners In Education with a special focus on Liberty City students. At one point, he even partnered with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush to create south Florida's first charter school (and it was located in Liberty City).
Education is still very much a major thrust of Miami's Urban League. In the end, Fair believes the problems plaguing the African American community today have nothing to do with racism or discrimination.
"We have got to reinvent ourselves what we have now is a community that is overwhelmed with hopelessness, a community that says it's really not my fault its someone else's fault," Fair added.
When asked what his message is to the younger generation, he adamantly answered "Education, education, education, education, education, education, education, education, education, education, education, education!"
Fair, who became the Urban League's youngest president and CEO at age 24, which he describes as a situation where he was just in the right place at the right time, is now 74-years-old.
However, he says he plans to continue fighting for his community until he can't or is told not to.
"This ain't about me. It's bigger than me and that's why I keep telling folks that I ain't gon' quit until He tells me it is time to do that, and he has not told me that. And since he has not told me that, let the celebration begin," Fair said with big smile on his face.
Members of the community will be celebrating Fair's 50 years with the Urban League this weekend in Miami Beach. For event details, click here.
