[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H7039-H7041]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KATHERINE DUNHAM

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 655) honoring the life and 
accomplishments of Katherine Dunham, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 655

       Whereas Katherine Dunham, a pioneering dancer and 
     choreographer, author, and civil rights activist was born on 
     June 22, 1909, and passed away on May 21, 2006, at the age of 
     96;
       Whereas, at the age of 12, Katherine Dunham wrote her first 
     published short story in a magazine edited by W.E.B. DuBois;
       Whereas, as class poet in high school, Katherine Dunham 
     wrote a memoir entitled ``A Touch of Innocence'';
       Whereas, in the 1930s, Katherine Dunham revolutionized 
     American dance by incorporating the roots of Black dance and 
     ritual to develop a uniquely different dance form;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham received a bachelor of arts degree 
     in social anthropology from the University of Chicago, was a 
     pioneer in the use of folk and ethnic choreography, and was 
     one of the founders of the anthropological dance movement;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham used her dance and choreography 
     career and public status to draw attention to the civil 
     rights movement and the issue of segregation;
       Whereas, in 1930, Katherine Dunham brought African and 
     Caribbean influences to the European-dominated dance world by 
     founding Les Ballet Negre, one of the first Black ballet 
     companies in the United States;
       Whereas the Negro Dance Group, founded in 1934, became 
     known as the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, touring in 
     nearly 60 countries on 6 continents from the 1940s to the 
     1960s;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham was a dancer, choreographer, and 
     director on Broadway, and was the first Black choreographer 
     at the Metropolitan Opera;
       Whereas, in 1945, Katherine Dunham founded the Dunham 
     School of Dance and Theatre in Manhattan, providing a 
     centralized location for students to immerse themselves in 
     dance technique and study topics in the humanities, 
     languages, ethics, philosophy, and drama;
       Whereas, in 1967, Katherine Dunham left Broadway and 
     established the Performing Arts Training Center in East St. 
     Louis, Illinois, to teach culture to underprivileged youths;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham taught dance, African hair 
     braiding and woodcarving, conversational Creole, Spanish, 
     French, and Swahili, and more traditional subjects, such as 
     aesthetics and social science, to the youths of East St. 
     Louis, Illinois;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham founded the Katherine Dunham 
     Centers for Arts and Humanities in the late 1960s, and the 
     Katherine Dunham Museum and Children's Workshop in 1977;
       Whereas, in 1992, Katherine Dunham went on a 47-day hunger 
     strike to call attention to the plight of the Haitians, 
     thereby helping to shift public opinion on United States 
     relations with the Republic of Haiti and precipitating the 
     return of the first democratically elected president of the 
     Republic of Haiti;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham has received over 10 honorary 
     doctorates and numerous other awards, including the 
     Presidential Medal of Arts, Albert Schweitzer Music Award, 
     the Kennedy Center Honors, the French Legion of Honor, and 
     the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award;
       Whereas Katherine Dunham was an activist, teacher, dancer, 
     and mentor to young people throughout the world; and
       Whereas with the death of Katherine Dunham on May 21, 2006, 
     in New York City, the United States lost a prolific and 
     premier artist and humanitarian: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the life 
     and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham and recognizes 
     Katherine Dunham's immeasurable contributions to the arts and 
     all of humanity.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 655, as amended.

[[Page H7040]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and accomplishments of 
Katherine Dunham.
  Born in Chicago in 1909, Katherine Dunham grew into a superbly 
talented dancer, choreographer, author and activist. She earned her 
bachelor's degree in social anthropology from the University of Chicago 
and went on to do extensive graduate field work in the Caribbean, 
eventually completing her master's degree in that discipline as well.
  One of her most profound contributions was her work around the 
confluence of dance and anthropology. Miss Dunham believed that dance 
was an important vehicle for understanding another culture, and she is 
the author of many anthropological works and dance.
  Through her visits to the Caribbean, she not only documented the 
African influence on the dances of the West Indies, but as an artist, 
she also began to develop a new type of African American dance based on 
rituals and other cultural events.
  When Katherine returned from her travels and field work, she founded 
Les Ballet Negres, one of the first black ballet companies in the 
United States. Here she perfected the Dunham technique of dance, 
including new breathing and movement exercises. Some of Miss Dunham's 
methods are taught in dance schools today, and she was an influential 
figure for many years. Alvin Ailey, who we honored with a resolution 
last week, is one of a long list of contemporary choreographers that 
name Katherine Dunham as a role model.
  For two decades, the Katherine Dunham Dance Company toured nearly 60 
countries on six continents, performing from Broadway to the silver 
screen. Established in the 1940s, her company had to battle racial 
discrimination. The company refused to perform at segregated theaters, 
and Katherine used her status as a public figure to draw attention to 
inequity.
  Her dedication did not stop there. In 1967, Miss Dunham moved to East 
St. Louis, Illinois and established the Performing Arts Training 
Center. In an attempt to counteract the poor and violent society many 
of the children of East St. Louis faced on a daily basis, Miss Dunham 
and her staff empowered their students by teaching them dance, 
woodcarving, photography, anthropology, and various foreign languages. 
Miss Dunham once described this outlet for self-expression and 
development by stating that ``everyone needs, if not a cultural hero, a 
culturally heroic society. There is nothing stronger in a man than the 
need to grow.''
  In 2006, at the age of 96, Miss Katherine Dunham passed away, but her 
legacy lives on. Her countless awards pay tribute to her artistry and 
dedication to social justice.
  And so, Mr. Speaker, once again, I honor Katherine Dunham and 
encourage my colleagues to pass this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 655, 
honoring the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham.
  Katherine Mary Dunham was an American dancer, choreographer, 
songwriter, author, educator and activist who was trained as an 
anthropologist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers in 
American and European theater of the 20th century.
  She formed a ballet group called Ballet Negres, the first black 
ballet company in the United States. Upon receipt of her degree in 
anthropology in 1936, she was awarded a fellowship and left for the 
West Indies to do field research in anthropology and dance. From this 
initial field work, Dunham generated her master's thesis for her degree 
from Northwestern University in 1947. She lectured widely and published 
numerous books.
  During this time, Dunham also began her investigations into an 
expression of movement that would form the core of the Katherine Dunham 
technique. What Dunham gave modern dance was a combination of African 
and Caribbean styles of movement which she integrated with techniques 
of ballet and modern dance.
  In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Dunham was renowned throughout Europe 
and Latin America. For more than 30 years, she maintained the Katherine 
Dunham Dance Company, the only permanent, self-subsidized American 
black dance troupe at that time, and over her long career she 
choreographed more than 90 individual dances. Dunham's works have been 
performed on Broadway and on film, and have left an indelible mark on 
modern dance.
  Today, we honor the life of Katherine Dunham and her contribution to 
the arts and to the world. I urge my colleagues to support this 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it's amazing how we are always 
learning. I had always thought that Katherine Dunham was born in East 
St. Louis and that that might have been the reason that she moved her 
school and troupe to East St. Louis, a city that was seriously hurting 
because of the diversion of business and trade opportunities that 
ultimately went around the town as opposed to through the town. And I'm 
amazed to know that, no, she didn't have that kind of history with East 
St. Louis, but because of her tremendous desire to be relevant and to 
be helpful to those who could perhaps benefit the most from her talent 
and dedication, she moved to East St. Louis. And I'm very proud that we 
have on the floor this resolution honoring her life and legacy. I would 
urge its passage.
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 655 
Honoring the life of Katherine Dunham. Katherine Dunham was a woman of 
astounding grace and character who has altered for the better both our 
country and our world.
   Born Katherine Mary Dunham in Chicago, Illinois on June 22, 1909, 
and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Dr. Dunham was among the first 
black artists to form a ballet troupe and achieve renown as a modern 
dancer and choreographer on Broadway and in Hollywood. Dr. Dunham 
passed away in May of 2006 and leaves behind a tremendous legacy of 
art, education and activism.
   She has received countless honors and awards, including more than 10 
honorary doctorates, the Presidential Medal of Arts, the French Legion 
of Honor, and the NAACP's Lifetime Achievement Award.
   Dr. Dunham was responsible for exposing to mass audiences a side of 
black artistic expression that was rarely seen. At a time when minstrel 
shows with black face were still considered an acceptable form of 
entertainment, her work was a catalyst that made people see and 
understand black dance as true art that was to be respected and 
acclaimed.
   In 1931 Dr. Dunham founded Les Ballet Negre, the first black dance 
company in the United States. Les Ballet Negre later became known as 
the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, which successfully toured over 60 
countries in the 1940s.
   In the years that followed, she revolutionized American dance by 
incorporating the roots of black dance and ritual, and by transforming 
these elements into choreography accessible to all through the 
Katherine Dunham Technique.
   Dr. Dunham has truly left her mark on society as her technique is 
still taught today at the world renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in 
New York. Her influence in the theaters' choreography can be seen in 
``Revelations'', Alvin Ailey's most famous and internationally 
acclaimed performance.
   As a human rights activist, she spoke out publicly about the United 
States' position on deporting Haitian refugees. Dunham was so 
passionate about the matter that in 1992 she went on a 47 day hunger 
strike to prove her point. Harry Belafonte stressed the notion that, 
``She didn't perform miracles; she performed acts of human kindness''.
   In 1967 Dr. Dunham established the Performing Arts Training Center 
in East St. Louis, Missouri, which functioned as an educational center, 
children's auxiliary company, and a semi-professional dance group that 
would go on to tour many parts of the United States. Dr. Dunham set out 
to transform lives, and did so.
   We must keep her memory alive in our hearts and minds so that 
generations after us will know who she was and what she did. One cannot 
speak of dance and innovation without mentioning Katherine Dunham, for 
she truly is a woman who moved the world. I urge you to support H. Res. 
655 Honoring Katherine Dunham, civil rights activist, performance 
artist, and humanitarian.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 655, a 
resolution honoring

[[Page H7041]]

the life of an innovative and influential artist and civil rights 
leader of the 20th century, Ms. Katherine Dunham. Ms. Dunham has left a 
remarkable legacy behind, from her ground breaking work in studying 
dance and anthropology to becoming an internationally recognized 
dancer. While her renowned dancing and choreography entertained people 
around the world, she always kept in mind the plight of the less 
fortunate and was strongly committed on issues of social justice. In 
just one example, at the age of 82, she held a 47-day hunger strike to 
bring attention to the situation of Haitian refugees.
  In addition, I would like to point out the strong connection she had 
to the community where she lived part of her life, East St. Louis, IL, 
which lies in my congressional district. Her contributions to the 
community are immeasurable. She established the Performing Arts 
Training Center and the Katherine Dunham Museum and Children's Workshop 
in the city to help revitalize the are and also founded a dance 
anthropology program at Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville. It 
was my great pleasure to introduce a bill that became law during the 
109th Congress to name a post office after Katherine Dunham within East 
St. Louis.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor this compassionate and gifted 
individual who contributed so much to her community and our Nation and 
I ask the House to join me in paying respect to an honored American, 
Katherine Dunham, by supporting H. Res. 655.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 655, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________