[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S2583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. DOROTHY I. HEIGHT

  Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a great Civil 
Rights leader of our Nation, who passed away recently. I come to the 
floor in her memory to pause for just a moment and to remember this 
great lady.
  Tuesday, the Nation lost a powerful advocate for justice, equality, 
and opportunity for all people. Dr. Dorothy I. Height was truly a 
heroine of the civil rights movement. She was a civil rights 
trailblazer whose courage and determination has allowed women around 
the nation to break through glass ceilings and realize their dreams. 
She has certainly been an inspiration to me personally.
  Dr. Height was the chair and president emerita of the National 
Council of Negro Women, Incorporated. The council was founded by Mary 
McLeod Bethune. She brought 28 national women leaders together to 
improve the quality of life for women. Dr. Height embraced that vision 
and continued the crusade for justice. Through her leadership, she 
changed our nation by shining a light on discrimination and injustice 
that was all too common in America during the 20th century.
  Dr. Height was also a member of many other organizations such as the 
YWCA and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through her dedication 
and commitment in these organizations, she encouraged women to be 
leaders in national and community organizations and on college 
campuses. She had an extraordinary presence, a really big and wonderful 
heart, she was a great intellect, and she had a passion for people. She 
is an example of the impact that women have on leadership. She was born 
not only to be all a woman could be, but all a person could be, all a 
leader could be. Dr. Dorothy Height will always be respectfully 
remembered.
  She has received many awards including the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom Award, the Congressional Gold Medal Award. I was proud to join 
my Senate colleagues on sponsoring a Senate resolution honoring the 
life and legacy of Dr. Height. She will be greatly missed and her 
legacy will live on in the women she inspired.

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