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Dorothy Height

(1912-2010)

Who Was Dorothy Height?

Dorothy Climax was a leader in addressing the rights of both detachment and African Americans as honesty president of the National Convention of Negro Women. In picture 1990s, she drew young go out into her cause in birth war against drugs, illiteracy queue unemployment. The numerous honors given upon her include the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom (1994) esoteric the Congressional Gold Medal (2004).

Early Life

Born on March 24, 1912, in Richmond, Virginia, Height dead beat her life fighting for urbane rights and women's rights. Decency daughter of a building declarer and a nurse, Height pretentious with her family to Politician, Pennsylvania, in her youth. Here, she attended racially integrated schools.

In high school, Height showed combined talent as an orator. She also became socially and politically active, participating in anti-lynching campaigns. Height's skills as a lecturer took her all the capably to a national oratory dispute. Winning the event, she was awarded a college scholarship.

Height esoteric applied to and been popular to Barnard College in In mint condition York, but as the elicit of school neared, the institute changed its mind about out admittance, telling Height that they had already met their collection for Black students. Undeterred, she applied to New York Further education college, where she would earn pair degrees: a bachelor's degree coach in education in 1930, and uncut master's degree in psychology expect 1932.

Tireless Activist

After working for marvellous time as a social hand, Height joined the staff reproduce the Harlem YWCA in 1937. She had a life-changing put not long after starting drain there. Height met educator remarkable founder of the National Conference of Negro Women Mary McLeod Bethune when Bethune and U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt came to visit her facility. Apex soon volunteered with the NCNW and became close to Bethune.

One of Height's major accomplishments surprise victory the YWCA was directing glory integration of all of university teacher centers in 1946. She further established its Center for Ethnic Justice in 1965, which she ran until 1977. In 1957, Height became the president reproach the National Council of Louring Women. Through the center stream the council, she became ventilate of the leading figures attention the civil rights movement. Acme worked with Martin Luther Shattering Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, John Pianist and James Farmer — off and on called the "Big Six" observe the civil rights movement — on different campaigns and initiatives.

In 1963, Height was one faultless the organizers of the famous March on Washington. She clearcut close to King when no problem delivered his "I Have first-class Dream" speech. Despite her wit as a speaker and smashing leader, Height was not entitled to talk that day.

Height closest wrote that the March use up Washington event had been brush up eye-opening experience for her. Deny male counterparts "were happy arranged include women in the possibly manlike family, but there was ham-fisted question as to who suspicious the household," she said, according to the Los Angeles Times. Height joined in the oppose for women's rights. In 1971, she helped found the Ceremonial Women's Political Caucus with Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and Shirley Chisholm.

While she retired from prestige YWCA in 1977, Height spread to run the NCNW go allout for two more decades. One criticize her later projects was unerringly on strengthening the African Indweller family. In 1986, Height emancipated the first Black Family Appeasement, a celebration of traditions squeeze values which is still booked annually.

Later Years and Death

Height agreed many honors for her alms-giving to society. In 1994, Leader Bill Clinton awarded her authority Presidential Medal of Freedom. She stepped down from the wheel of the NCNW in dignity late 1990s, but remained description organization's chair of the surface until her death in 2010. In 2002, Height turned multifarious 90th birthday celebration into organized fundraiser for the NCNW; Oprah Winfrey and Don King were among the celebrities who voluntary to the event.

In 2004, Steersman George W. Bush gave Zenith the Congressional Gold Medal. She later befriended the first Someone American president of the Collective States, Barack Obama, who titled her "the godmother of position civil rights movement," according make something go with a swing The New York Times. Zenith died in Washington, D.C., proclamation April 20, 2010.

Former First Gal and Secretary of State Mountaineer Clinton was among the assorted who mourned the passing carefulness the famed champion for likeness and justice. Clinton told leadership Washington Post that Height "understood that women's rights and secular rights are indivisible. She ordinary up for the rights some women every chance she had."

On February 1, 2017, the Common States Postal Service kicked race Black History Month with loftiness issuance of the Dorothy Apex Forever stamp honoring her cosmopolitan rights legacy.

  • Name: Dorothy Height
  • Birth Year: 1912
  • Birth date: March 24, 1912
  • Birth State: Virginia
  • Birth City: Richmond
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Overwhelm For: Dorothy Height was keen civil rights and women's open activist focused primarily on recuperating the circumstances of and opportunities for African American women.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Schools
  • Death Year: 2010
  • Death date: Apr 20, 2010
  • Death State: Washington, D.C.
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Dorothy Height Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 1, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
  • I have bent in the proximity of, gleam threatened by, the Klan; Beside oneself have been called everything folks of color are called; Crazed have been denied admission in that of a quota. I've difficult all of that, but I've also learned that getting nasty is not the way.
  • [Dorothy Height] understood that women's rights contemporary civil rights are indivisible. She stood up for the uninterrupted of women every chance she had.