History of the National League of Cities

Coming out of the growing movement to create state-wide leagues of municipal officials, a number of municipal league secretaries meet in Lawrence, Kansas in December 1924 and decide to create the Association of State Municipal Organizations, headquartered at the League of Kansas Municipalities and led by John Stutz, the Kansas League secretary. At its second conference in Chicago the following year, the new organization changes its name to the American Municipal Association.

The AMA moves from Kansas to Chicago, joining a large group of other national governmental organizations near the University of Chicago, first at 850 East 58th Street, next at the newly constructed Spelman Fund-financed Public Administration Clearinghouse at 1313 East 60th Street.

AMA helps major-city mayors create the U.S. Conference of Mayors, founded at a conference in Detroit, with the purpose of advocating for federal aid for cities.

The organization moves away from being an association of municipal leagues, opening membership to individual cities with a population of 100,000 or more. Photo of Pittsburgh, PA.

Expert Carl Chatters recommends to the AMA the creation of a National Municipal Policy as a way to give its policy work more shape and direction: “The elements of the National Municipal Policy will vary from time to time and initially may include 20 or 25 individual items such as the extension of home rule, the place of municipal government in a democratic society, metropolitan area government, relations between the federal, state and local governments, adequate municipal revenues, the allocation of activities between the various levels of government, citizen instruction in government, the structure of local government and several other urgent matters such as housing, transportation, municipal credit, compensation of municipal employees, municipal airports, urban redevelopment, grants-in-aid and urban decentralization.” This new focus on shaping national policy guides NLC to this day.

Recognizing the importance of being near the federal government, the organization relocates from Chicago to 1625 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

“That is why the city of America—their problems, their future, their financing—must rank at the top of any realistic list of 1960 campaign issues. This is the great unspoken, overlooked, underplayed problems [sic] of our time.
its importance and its direct impact on 80% of our population–the most decisive issue of the 1960 campaign.”

Senator John F. Kennedy

League of Municipalities Conference

Denver, Colorado | November, 1959

As a nod to the organization’s growing emphasis on cities, not municipal leagues, the organization changes its name to the National League of Cities.

NLC successfully advocates for the creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and begins a long-term collaboration with HUD.

NLC creates the National Association of Regional Councils (originally called the National Service to Regional Councils) to advocate for and support the needs of regional inter-governmental councils.

“So I leave you with gratitude for the leadership that you are giving your communities.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson

National Legislative Conference

Washington, DC | March 31, 1966

Along with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Yale University and New Haven’s Community Action Institute, and with a grant from the Ford Foundation, NLC assists in creating the highly successful and still ongoing National Urban Fellows program, a program designed to mentor, support and promote mid-career leaders, especially women and people of color.

NLC helps push for the Clean Air Act (1970) and the Clean Water Act (1972), designed to assist regulation of environment pollutants and require industry to take responsibility for cleanup. 

View NLC’s Sustianability Resources on NLC.org.

Creation of the National Black Caucus of Locally Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) constituency group — a space for members to connect with other Black municipal officials and advocate for policies important to their communities.

Creation of the Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) constituency group.

Creation of the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) constituency group.

In National League of Cities v. Usery before the Supreme Court, NLC successfully challenges 1974 amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act that applied FLSA protections to state and municipal employees, claiming that it overstepped state rights protected by the Constitution and placed an undue burden on local governments. The decision is overturned by a new ruling in 1985.

NLC drops the city size requirement for membership, opening voting to any city that’s a member of its state municipal league. Photo is of Bozeman, MT. 

“Our Cooperation Has Resulted In The Evolution Of Our Nation’s First Comprehensive Urban Policy—AGoal Of The National League Of Cities For 21 Years.”

President Jimmy Carter

Congress of Cities

St. Louis, Missouri | November 27, 1978

“I believe you’re the hopeof our nation. I put my faith in the American people and the quality of the leaders they elect to local office.”

President Ronald Reagan addressing NLC

Annual Convention 

Los Angeles, California | November 29, 1982

NLC establishes the Risk Information Sharing Consortium, a group that provides services to state municipal league inter-governmental risk-sharing pools.

NLC is instrumental in passage of the Local Government Antitrust Act, protecting local governments from indemnity in antitrust suits.

Creation of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) constituency group.

NLC establishes a Mutual Insurance Company to provide reinsurance to its members.

“And like you, I am committed to ensuring that our cities remain the fireplaces of America, radiating warmth and light against the darkness.”

President George HW Bush

Congress of Cities

Washington, DC | March 9, 1992

Creation of the LGBTQ+ Local Officials constituency group.

“I have long admired the work of the National League Of Cities. As a Governor, I worked with many ofyou on many tough issues. And as President, I am committed to doing all I can to face those issues withyou in the genuine spirit of partnership.”

President Bill Clinton

Congress of Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota | December 2, 1994

NLC is instrumental in passage of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, which offers local governments protection from federal statutes and regulations that don’t provide funding to meet their costs. Seen here at the signing ceremony with President Clinton is U.S. Senator George Voinovich, a former NLC president and mayor of Cleveland, OH, and Mayor Gregory Lashutka, who was president of NLC in 1996.

NLC devotes its yearly Futures Report to the issue of “Undoing Racism,” to find a way to make cities tools for greater equity and racial justice. “The truth is, something is terribly wrong in America and most of our cities. And America has just accepted it. As a nation, we have seemingly condoned the injustice, tolerated the suffering and ignored the consequences. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans look the other way and make sure their own security is assured. There is more than enough blame to go around. The question is, who will take responsibility?” then President Bob Knight says in his first leadership address announcing the report.

NLC creates the Institute for Youth, Education and Families (IYEF), which provides support, training and community for local governments attempting to improve outcomes for young people and families.

Following the attacks of September 11, NLC establishes the Always Remember 9/11 fund to support local officials affected by the attacks and creates a taskforce that publishes a homeland security action plan for cities.

Below, Karen Anderson, former Minnetonka, MN Mayor, 2001-02 NLC President and 100th Anniversary Honorary Advisory Committee Member reflects on how 9/11 changed priorities for municipalities across the nation.

Following the Ferguson protests, NLC establishes a Race, Equity, and Leadership (REAL) department, providing resources to help local officials combat structural racism and build more equitable communities.

“It is good to be with the National League of Cities…but you all have something in common, and that is that you wake up every day willing to solve problems.”

President Barack Obama

National League of Cities Congressional City Conference

Washington, DC | March 9, 2015

The National League of Cities announces that it will move, along with the National Association of Counties, into a newly constructed, 200,000-square-foot, LEED Gold certified building at 660 North Capitol Street.

NLC takes a central role in helping guide and empower local governments during the pandemic, launching the Cities Are Essential campaign in April to lobby the federal government for direct funding to cities during the most devastating months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NLC lobbies for passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, then works with communities to help them find and access grants. This effort includes the 2022 creation of the Infrastructure Hub, funded with a $50 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies and other partners — a program to help local government officials connect with resources, experts and training to guide their search for federal infrastructure funding. Seen here at the signing ceremony with President Biden is Councilmember Kathy Maness, who was president of NLC in 2021.

NLC successfully advocates to include billions of dollars in direct aid to cities and towns in the American Rescue Plan, then works closely with local leaders to help disburse and administer those funds so their communities can thrive post-COVID.

“We need your voices — the voices of local officials who understand what your communities need. Your senators and congress persons will listen to you all.”

President Joe Biden  

National League of Cities Congressional City Conference

Washington, DC | March 14, 2022

Creation of the Local Indigenous Leaders (LIL) constituency group.

NLC kicks off the 100-year celebration in Atlanta, Georgia at the 2023 City Summit closing general session on November 18 with a fanfare of twinkling lights, fluttering streamers, and unfurling banners. City Summit delegates are invited to join the yearlong festivities by applying for the Centennial Roadshow. NLC thanks Centennial Collection sponsors Wells Fargo, Enterprise Mobility, and Google for their incredible support.