Whitney Moore Young Jr. was a prominent civil rights leader in the United States during the mid-20th century. He was born on July 31, 1921, in Kentucky, and grew up in the segregated South. Young graduated from Kentucky State College and later received a master's degree in social work from the University of Minnesota.

Young became the executive director of the National Urban League in 1961, a position he held until his untimely death in 1971. Under his leadership, the National Urban League became one of the preeminent civil rights organizations in the country, focusing on economic empowerment and social justice for African Americans.

Young was known for his advocacy of economic opportunity and advancement for African Americans. He believed that economic empowerment was crucial for achieving racial equality and fought for equal access to jobs, education, and housing for Black Americans.

Young also played a key role as a mediator between the civil rights movement and the business community, advocating for greater inclusion of African Americans in corporate America. He believed in the power of economic leverage to bring about social change and worked tirelessly to open up opportunities for Black professionals in the corporate world.

Whitney Young's legacy continues to inspire and influence discussions around racial and economic justice. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1972 for his contributions to civil rights and social progress in America.