Local black leaders outline priorities at summit

The county's African-American leaders yesterday vowed to increase their numbers in elected office and pledged to find ways to close lingering racial disparities in business, health care and education.

During a day-long summit that organizers billed as the county's first African-American political convention in 30 years, activists from more than a dozen organizations said they would work aggressively to identify top-flight candidates for Annapolis City Council in 2005 and County Council and General Assembly in 2006.

Organizers also promised to release an annual report card measuring the performance of local elected...