[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KATHERINE DUNHAM ON THIS, HER 
                          CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 23, 2009

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise the glorious 
accomplishments of a true American heroine, Katherine Mary Dunham, who 
made a place for herself and others at a racially turbulent and 
unwelcoming time in American history. Katherine Mary Dunham graced the 
earth with her superior intellect, artistic poise, and philanthropic 
heart in a lifelong initiative to make better the lives of African-
Americans in a time ill-intended to suit such ambition by a Black 
woman. A manifestation of the American dream at a time when life was 
often nightmarish for Blacks in America, Katherine Dunham began 
crafting a life of superior skill and ability at an early age. A 
published poet by the age of 12, Dunham would pursue writing, the 
Humanities, and artistry until the age of 96 when she passed. As a 
student at the prestigious University of Chicago, Dunham studied 
rigorously as a pioneer in ethnic choreography, which led her to create 
the discipline of dance anthropology. As she progressed, Dunham became 
known for her tenacity, bringing to the predominantly European dance 
stage African and Caribbean dance forms in an ethnic and sensual way. 
Les Ballet Negre, the first black ballet company in the United States, 
came to be known as the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, through which 
dancers toured more than 60 countries on 6 continents between the 1940s 
and 1960s. Beyond her own personal creative achievements, Katherine 
Dunham won unprecedented recognition and became the first woman of 
color to hold the most prestigious positions in dance. Dunham was a 
dancer, choreographer, and director on Broadway, and the first Black 
choreographer at the Metropolitan Opera.
  In addition to her artistic achievements, Katherine Dunham was an 
activist with an appetite for the attainment of social justice. In 
1967, Katherine Dunham established the Performing Arts Training Center 
in East St. Louis, Illinois, followed by the Katherine Dunham Centers 
for Arts and Humanities in 1969, and the Katherine Dunham Museum and 
Children's Workshop in 1977. Each of these thoughtful, community-center 
initiatives brought artistic opportunity to less fortunate Black 
children.
  The recipient of 10 honorary doctorates, this famed artist, activist, 
teacher, and dancer defied historical limitations through her 
accomplishments in academia and the arts. A conversationalist in 
Creole, French, Spanish, and Swahili, her dance techniques also spoke a 
language that propelled her into an international audience that 
understood and embraced the language her body spoke.

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