[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1222-E1223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING KATHERINE DUNHAM: ACTIVISM THROUGH ARTISTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 20, 2006

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to recognize the life and 
accomplishments of an extraordinary artist and activist, Katherine 
Dunham. Ms. Dunham, whom recently passed away on May 21, 2006, spent 
her life using dance and theater to fight for civil rights. Now, I ask 
all of my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of this 
influential woman.
  Ms. Dunham, born June 22, 1909 in Joliet, IL, began her study of 
dance by taking ballet lessons in high school. She attended the 
University of Chicago and fell in love with the study of anthropology 
which led her to receive a Ph.B. degree in social anthropology in 1936.
  While attending the University of Chicago, she received a fellowship 
that allowed her to perform an anthropological study of traditional and 
ritual dances of the Caribbean. This study sparked her lifelong passion 
for the country of Haiti. She once said that she felt an unusually 
strong connection with the people and the land. Throughout the rest of 
her life, she was devoted to the liberation and protection of the 
people of Haiti and used her influence as an artist to shed light on 
the issues Haitians were dealing with. She owned a home in Haiti, 
called the Habiticon Le Clerc, which was also a resort.
  Her studies in the Caribbean also allowed her to create her own style 
of dance, taking pieces of Caribbean native dances and blending them 
with modem Western movements. With her unique style and technique, Ms. 
Dunham was a true pioneer in America and opened doors for Blacks in the 
field of dance performance. She started the first all African-American 
ballet company entitled ``Ballet Negre'' and was also the first 
African-American to be a choreographer for the Metropolitan Opera.
  Ms. Dunham's unique performances captivated audiences of all races, 
ethnicities, and backgrounds. This allowed Ms. Dunham to use dance and 
theater to transcend racial lines and bring light to the important 
civil rights issues to all who saw her perform. One of her most famous 
and well-loved performances, entitled ``Southland,'' portrayed 
the horror of lynchings in the South. Ms. Dunham also refused to 
perform to segregated audiences, further pushing the race envelope.

  Ms. Dunham gave back to the community through opening dance schools 
in low-income areas. The first school was opened in her home State of 
Illinois. The purpose of these schools was not only to teach the 
discipline of dance but to also give youth a productive activity that 
would help prepare them for success.
  Ms. Dunham's fame and influence extended beyond the Americas as she 
also performed in France, Mexico, Argentina, and Italy. While traveling 
and performing, she made sure to express her activist message of human 
rights for people all over the world.
  The world recognized and appreciated Ms. Dunham, making her the 
recipient of many awards, including the Albert Schweitzer Music Awards 
in 1979, the Haitian Government highest award in 1983 and a Kennedy 
Center honoree for lifetime achievement in the arts in the

[[Page E1223]]

same year. She also received the National Medal of Arts in 1989.
  Her husband of 49 years, theater designer John Pratt, died in 1986. 
They are survived by their daughter, Marie-Christine Dunham-Pratt, whom 
they adopted from Martinique.
  Mr. Speaker, I would once again like to pay tribute to this 
international icon. Through her creative and unique talents, she was 
able to break down barriers and shed light on important issues. I hope 
that we will all remember and continue her legacy. I encourage my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing and celebrating the life of 
Katherine Dunham.

                          ____________________