James Compton

James W. Compton (born April 7, 1939 in Aurora, Illinois), was president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League from 1978–2006. During his tenure, the Chicago Urban League refocused its interest in education and economic development and developed a new emphasis on community empowerment. James Compton received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse College in 1961. While at Morehouse he received the Charles E. Merrill Fellowship, which enabled him to study at the University of Grenoble in France from 1959–1961. He also participated as a student representative of the United States in the US-Soviet Union Cultural Exchange Program from 1959–1960. At Morehouse College, James Compton worked with Benjamin Mays, the college...