[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5854-5859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MEMORIALIZING DOROTHY HEIGHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2009, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) is 
recognized for 60 minutes.


                             General Leave

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
exclude extraneous materials on the subject of memorializing Dorothy 
Height.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, we come with heavy hearts today to 
memorialize a woman who made such a great impact on us who passed away 
early this morning.
  Dorothy Height was a founding matriarch of the American civil rights 
movement whose crusade for racial justice and gender equality spanned 
more than six decades. She fought for equal rights for both American 
Americans and women. She was among the coalition of African American 
leaders who pushed civil rights to the center of the American political 
stage after World War II and she was a key figure in the struggle for 
school desegregation, voting rights, employment opportunities, and 
public accommodations in the fifties and the sixties.
  In high school, Dorothy was awarded a scholarship to Barnard College 
for her oratory skills, yet upon arrival she was denied entrance. At 
the time, Barnard admitted only two African Americans per academic 
year, and Height had arrived after the other two had already been 
admitted. At its 1980 commencement ceremonies, Barnard College awarded 
Height its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction. She also 
went to New York University and received a master's degree in 
educational psychology and eventually became the recipient of no fewer 
than 36 honorary doctorates.
  Dr. Dorothy Height began her career as a caseworker for the New York 
City Welfare Department. In 1944, Dr. Height joined the national staff 
of the YWCA and she was instrumental in bringing about an interracial 
charter for YWCAs in 1946.
  Dr. Height also served as National President of Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority from 1946 to 1947 and developed leadership training programs 
and interracial and ecumenical education programs.
  In 1957, Dr. Dorothy Height was named President of the National 
Council of Negro Women, a position she held for 40 years, in which she 
emphasized self-help and self-reliance, including programs in 
nutrition, childcare, housing, and career counseling.
  During civil rights struggles in the 1960s, Dr. Dorothy Height helped 
orchestrate strategy with movement leaders, including Reverend Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, A. Phillip Randolph, Whitney 
Young, James Farmer, Bayard Rustin, and John Lewis.
  During the 1960s, Dr. Dorothy Height organized ``Wednesdays in 
Mississippi,'' which brought together black and white women from the 
North and South to create a dialogue of understanding.
  In the mid-1960s, Dr. Height wrote a column entitled ``A Woman's 
Word'' for the weekly African American newspaper, the New York 
Amsterdam News.

                              {time}  2150

  In the 1970s and 1980s, the National Council of Negro Women helped 
organize and operate development projects in African countries. Because 
of her experience and depth of knowledge, she later served on a number 
of committees, including as a consultant on African affairs to the 
Secretary of State, on the President's Committee on the Employment of 
the Handicapped, and on the President's Committee on the Status of 
Women.
  In 1974, Dr. Height was named to the National Council for the 
Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 
which published the Belmont Report, which was a response to the 
infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study and an international ethical 
touchstone for researchers to this day.
  American leaders regularly took her counsel, including First Lady 
Eleanor Roosevelt. Dr. Height also encouraged President Dwight D. 
Eisenhower to desegregate schools and President Lyndon B. Johnson to 
appoint African American women to positions in government.
  I remember her telling me a story that the location of her office and 
their office building right now down on 7th Street, where you can see 
the Capitol in the background, was the last place that they retrieved 
two young African sisters who were running away from slavery. They 
brought them back and sold them off of the spot which is an historical 
preservative for her National Conference of Negro Women. What irony. 
She was that great lady who could see into the future, and I think that 
property just beckoned to her.
  When she turned 90 years old, I was there at her birthday celebration 
here in Washington, D.C. They had purchased property that was very, 
very expensive, but they were able to get it for $8 million. Oprah 
Winfrey came, and

[[Page 5855]]

she said, I understand that you owe $5 million. She said, Well, I have 
something with me that I think will help you. She gave a check for $2.5 
million. Now deduct that from the $5 million. Then she proceeded that 
evening to go around the room and get those who were lobbyists, those 
who were advocates, to commit to paying off the balance. Within a few 
months' time, every penny of that property was paid for.
  What a story.
  It used to be Sears, the headquarters for Sears. As you know, that's 
in Chicago now, but the history of the property and where she still 
went when she was able to get there was the place they sold the last 
two young African women into slavery. I thought it was important to let 
you know the spiritual impact, the special gifts that she had for using 
her judgment to make the right decisions.
  In 1994, President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of 
Freedom, which is the Nation's highest civilian honor. The musical 
stage play, ``If This Hat Could Talk,'' is based on her memoirs. ``Open 
Wide the Freedom Gates'' is the name of her book of memories. It 
showcases her unique perspective on civil rights movements, and it 
details many of the behind-the-scenes figures and mentors who shaped 
her life.
  My mother is now 100. I am reminded that my grandmother, her mother, 
used to sit us down at her feet. Because most of the history of Africa 
is Aro, she used to tell us these stories of Mary McLeod Bethune. Mary 
McLeod Bethune, out of Florida, started the first college for colored 
girls. My grandmother used to talk about her all the time. I finally 
found out that she went to school with Mary McLeod Bethune when she 
lived and had her first child in Florida, and so I always thought that 
Mary McLeod Bethune was an aunt. I was so disappointed when I found out 
she wasn't related. She talked about the line of Judah. That was Haile 
Selassie, and they feel that most black people were descendants of 
Haile Selassie. My grandmother talked about Mrs. Roosevelt. She also 
talked about Marcus Garvey and that back-to-Africa movement.
  All of these were powerful figures in the history of black people 
here in America. So, when we would see Dr. Height, regardless of how 
ill she was--but her mind was sharp--she would bring forth this history 
that we could only read about.
  Dorothy Height had served on the advisory council of the White House 
Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and on the 
National Advisory Council on Aging. Wasn't that wonderful. She lived to 
98. She passed this morning.
  On March 24, 2004, her 92nd birthday, she received the Congressional 
Gold Medal, the highest decoration Congress can bestow, and I am so 
proud to say that I was the author of the bill that gave her the Gold 
Medal. As I circulated around these Chambers, I went to that side of 
the aisle and would sit next to various Members and would tell them, I 
am carrying the Gold Medal bill for Dr. Dorothy Height.
  They would ask, Who is Dr. Dorothy Height?
  I'd get very quiet, and I'd say, I'm going to tell you who she is, 
but you'd better not let other people know you don't know who Dorothy 
Height is. She proceeded Rosa Parks, and she was 19 years old when Mary 
McLeod Bethune handed her the mantle of leadership. She took it at age 
19 and held it until her demise. Of course she had to have other people 
take over after she retired.
  I knew her story because my grandmother related it to me. She started 
telling me about it when I was 3 years old. My sister, 18 months older 
than I, would have to sit there, too. She is deceased now. My 
grandmother read us the newspaper. She could have read it upside down, 
sideways or bottom up, but I remembered what she said because, 
traditionally, the story of our history was Aro, and that's why I took 
great pride after I entered these most honored Chambers to pay tribute 
to a woman who is part of all of our history.
  Dr. Dorothy Height was the chairperson of the Executive Committee on 
the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the largest civil rights 
organization in the United States of America. Dr. Dorothy Height was an 
honored guest and was seated among the dignitaries at the inauguration 
of our current President, Barack Obama, on January 20, 2009.

                              {time}  2200

  She helped create and organize the Black Family Reunion celebration 
held annually since 1985. These gatherings were intended to honor the 
traditions, the strengths, and the history of African American 
families, while seeking solutions to such social problems as teen 
pregnancy, drug abuse, and violence. She attended these National Black 
Family Reunions celebrated on the National Mall in Washington, DC, 
every year until her death this morning.
  Her death was something that we all feel so terrible about. We mourn 
her loss, but she leaves us a great legacy; and we all stand on her 
shoulders. She had the insight to keep our families together. Because 
when we were kidnapped off of the continent, when they brought us here 
to America, they separated husband and wife and took the babies away 
from their mothers' breasts and sold them for more property. And she 
knew that strength was with unity. And when you can bring families 
together, then you can be empowered.
  So we owe so much to Dr. Dorothy Height. And we pay tribute to her 
strength, her vision, her dedication, and her brilliance. Her voice 
will never die out. We will continue to hear it when we talk about 
equality and justice and opportunity and fairness.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I would like to call up the most 
distinguished Member of Congress from Los Angeles, Maxine Waters, for 
as much time as she might consume.
  Ms. WATERS. Thank you very, very much Congresswoman Diane Watson. 
Thank you for taking out this hour to remember Dr. Dorothy Height. I 
appreciate the fact that you not only organized this time, but you 
understood how important it is for all of us who knew her, who loved 
her, who worked with her to just stop and remember her in this very, 
very special way.
  When I learned of her death, I immediately thought about March 24, 
2004. That is when she received the great recognition from the Congress 
of the United States, receiving the Gold Medal, the highest civilian 
award that can be given to a United States citizen. I remembered that 
because when that ceremony took place I remember watching her and 
reflecting on all that she had done for this country.
  I remember not only the fact that she was the one woman in the civil 
rights movement that was dominated by men who sat in on the discussions 
about the civil rights legislation, the voting rights legislation, and 
this was at a time when women were not welcomed at the helm of the 
civil rights movement, but Dorothy Height was a very special woman. And 
I am sure that no matter what some of the men thought, they couldn't 
have turned her down because of her special way of handling situations. 
She was a highly cultured woman, articulate, refined, and always able 
to help temper situations that could be explosive. So Dorothy Height 
had a way of not only managing herself, but managing those around her.
  I heard Congresswoman Watson as I was coming in talking about the 
Black Family Reunions. And they stand out as part of her tremendous 
work. At a time when black families were being demonized, being talked 
about as dysfunctional, she not only showed that we are a people who 
care and love our families, but we came out to these great reunions in 
very special ways. I remember seeing young black males carrying their 
babies, and I remember seeing young children being held by the hand by 
their grandmothers. So the mothers and the fathers, the sisters and the 
brothers, the uncles and the aunts, everybody came out to these 
tremendous family reunions. And I can recall not only attending in 
Washington, DC, but in my hometown of Los Angeles. I was there with 
Dorothy

[[Page 5856]]

Height, number one, because I respected her, I admired her; but she 
expected me to be there.
  We were friends for many, many years, dating back to our struggles in 
the Carter administration, when we had created the International 
Women's Year. And we all convened in Houston, Texas, to create the 
Women's Commission that was appointed by Carter. I was there as a young 
woman long before I came on the national scene and helped to organize 
on that floor the final statements that we delivered to President 
Carter that created the National Women's Commission.
  As a matter of fact, Dorothy Height has been at the center of every 
significant development on behalf of women. Not only did she work in 
the civil rights movement, she worked for women. And she has been there 
in those struggles working with the National Organization for Women, 
the National Women's Political Caucus, all of those organizations that 
sprung up when we finally began to realize that we had power and we 
could exercise power and influence not only in helping to advance women 
in this country, but advance public policy as it related to women and 
families.
  So Dr. Dorothy Height, who sat at the foot of Mary McLeod Bethune, 
the greatest educator that ever involved herself in education in this 
country, had a great impact on Dorothy Height. And Dorothy Height was a 
big supporter of education. And she often told of the stories of Dr. 
Mary McLeod Bethune. She often shared with us the very special moments 
she had with her and the kind of influence that she had on her and her 
leadership.
  So she is gone. And there are those who are asking who is going to 
take her place. Well, no one can really take her place. There is no 
other and will be no other like Dorothy Height. Of course there are 
many brilliant women. There are visionary women. There are articulate 
women. There are women who can manage at the highest levels. But you 
can't replicate Dorothy Height. We can hope that someone takes her 
place who will honor the contributions that she has made and give 
leadership to the National Council of Negro Women in a manner that she 
would be proud of, but no one can actually take her place.
  I stand here this evening to say that Dorothy Height not only was 
special and one of a kind; I loved her. I honor the time that I was 
able to spend with her. I honor the birthday celebrations that I was 
able to go to. I honor the times that she attended all of the chapter 
meetings across this country and I happened to be in some city or some 
State where she was where I attended those chapter meetings. I honor 
having known her because I think it certainly gave me not only insight 
into what she was all about, but the inspiration that she provided for 
me and the lessons that I learned from her.
  So this evening I simply say that we wish her journey to heaven to be 
the kind of journey where she will certainly rest in peace and get the 
rest that she so richly deserves. But we want her family to know, and 
all of those who perhaps didn't know her, how much she has meant not 
only to women and to the civil rights movement, but to this country. 
And we want to honor her in this very, very special way on the floor of 
Congress so that it will be recorded in the Congressional Record, 
adding to all of the other ways that she will be etched into the 
history of this country and this world.
  Thank you, Dorothy, for having served. Thank you for having led us. 
Thank you for having been the kind of public servant who helped this 
country to be a better country.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATSON. I want to thank you, Representative Waters, for your 
association over the years with her and following in her footsteps. You 
know, we all joined hands together because I think those family 
reunions were a very special moment in our communities.

                              {time}  2210

  And we remind each other of the importance of our family bonds, and 
we show this country that we can stay together and our families are not 
dysfunctional. And that's what she stood for. And so I thank you for 
your words this evening.
  And I have asked that all of these statements be recorded. And as we 
close out this late hour, I just want to say that we have had the 
privilege to live at a time when such a great, great woman whose 
ancestry emanated from what we call the Dark Continent, lived among us, 
taught among us, and touched us all. May God rest her soul.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, today we lost an American 
treasure with the passing of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, a matriarch of 
the civil rights movement, a staunch advocate for women's rights, and 
an all-around phenomenal woman.
  Dr. Height was a bold and brilliant African American woman who blazed 
many trials and opened many doors to the American Dream for women and 
people of color. Tonight I join with people around the world as we 
mourn the death and celebrate the life of Dr. Height.
  Throughout her life, Dr. Height wore many hats, both literally and 
figuratively. She wore them with elegance and dignity, with excellence 
and determination. From her legendary stewardship as the national 
president of Delta Sigma Theta sorority to her unprecedented 41-year 
tenure at the helm of the National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Height 
was a woman of courage and strength.
  Dr. Height's commitment to equality was reflected in so many of her 
pursuits. In the 1930s, for example, Dr. Height traveled across the 
United States to encourage YWCA chapters to implement interracial 
charters. After dedicating more than 60 years of her life to the YWCA, 
Dr. Height remained proudest of her efforts to direct the YWCA's 
attention to the issues of civil rights and racial justice. She was 
committed to this work. In fact, Dr. Height was the first director of 
its new Center for Racial Justice. This was in 1965. I believe it was 
in New York. Imagine, though, the resistance that she felt and that she 
was faced with in her efforts to desegregate the YWCA in the 1930s.
  As the leader of the United Christian Youth Movement of North 
America, Dr. Height worked to desegregate the Armed Forces, prevent 
lynching, reform the criminal justice system, and establish free access 
to public accommodations. At a time when racial segregation was the 
standard and resistance to integration was often very fierce, Dr. 
Height forever remained true to her convictions, even when it was not 
the comfortable thing to do.
  A lifelong advocate for peace, equality, and justice, Dr. Height was 
especially committed to empowering women and girls. She stood toe to 
toe with the great male civil rights giants of our time, steadfast in 
her dedication to ensure that black women's needs were addressed. She 
was forever dedicated to helping women achieve full and equal 
employment, pay, and education.
  Dr. Height was instrumental in establishing a multicultural 
``Wednesdays in Mississippi.'' This was a program to assist freedom 
schools and voter registration drives. She knew that the fight for 
racial justice and for women's equality go hand in hand.
  As the national president of the National Council of Negro Women, Dr. 
Height led the NCNW in helping women and families combat hunger. She 
also established the Women's Center for Education and Career 
Achievement in New York City to prepare women for entry into jobs and 
careers. During her tenure as president of NCNW, they were able to buy 
a beautiful building just a few blocks from here on Pennsylvania 
Avenue. And to this day it is the only African American-owned building 
on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is on the site where slave traders 
legally operated a center slave market, and where in 1848, 76 slaves, 
including Emily and Mary Edmondson, attempted to escape to the 
Underground Railroad.
  Dr. Height said, and this is Dr. Height's quote, she said, ``It seems

[[Page 5857]]

providential that we stand today on the shoulders of our ancestors with 
an opportunity to claim the site and sustain a strong presence for 
freedom and for justice.''
  I tell you Dr. Height remained a fighter until her last breath. Last 
year she attended President Barack Obama's first signing of the Lilly 
Ledbetter Act, his first bill he signed into law. She was present here 
for the unveiling of the Shirley Chisolm portrait and the bust of 
Sojourner Truth here in the Capitol. She worked diligently on various 
issues with the Black Women's Roundtable and the Black Leadership Forum 
and often participated in panels here on Capitol Hill. Just recently, 
she joined us in our efforts to support the 2010 census. We always knew 
that we were in the presence of greatness. And we always knew, 
especially now as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, that Dr. 
Height, when we called, she would be there to support us.
  We mourn the loss tonight of Dr. Height. We celebrate her life and 
her legacy. We love you, Dr. Height, and we promise to continue your 
legacy of service to humankind. May your soul rest in peace.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute 
to a national treasure and icon who passed early this morning. I am 
speaking, of course, of the incomparable, irrepressible, and legendary 
Dorothy Irene Height. For more than half a century, Dorothy Height has 
played a leading role in the never-ending struggle for equality and 
human rights here at home and around the world. Her life exemplifies 
her passionate commitment for a just society and her vision of a better 
world.
  Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia March 24, 1912, and 
educated in the public schools of Rankin, Pennsylvania, a borough of 
Pittsburgh, where her family moved when she was four. She established 
herself early as a dedicated student with exceptional oratorical 
skills. After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a national oratorical 
contest on the United States Constitution, sponsored by the Fraternal 
Order of the Elks, and a compiling a distinguished academic record, she 
enrolled in New York University where she earned both her bachelor and 
master's degrees in just four years. She continued her postgraduate 
studies at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work.
  In 1933, Dorothy Height joined the United Christian Youth Movement of 
North America where her leadership qualities earned her the trust and 
confidence of her peers. It was during this period that she began to 
emerge as an effective civil rights advocate as she worked to prevent 
lynching, desegregate the armed forces, reform the criminal justice 
system, and provide free access to public accommodations. In 1935, 
Dorothy Height was appointed by New York government officials to deal 
with the aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1935.
  As Vice President of the United Christian Youth Movement of North 
America, Dorothy Height was one of only ten American youth delegates to 
the 1937 World Conference on Life and Work of the Churches held in 
Oxford, England. Two years later she was selected to represent the YWCA 
at the World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam, Holland.
  It was in 1937, while serving as Assistant Executive Director of the 
Harlem YWCA, that Dorothy Height met Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and 
president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Mrs. Bethune 
was immediately impressed with young Dorothy Height's poise and 
intelligence and invited her to join the NCNW and assist in the quest 
for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and education.
  In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten young Americans invited by 
Eleanor Roosevelt to come to Hyde Park NY to help plan and prepare for 
the World Youth Conference to be held at Vassar College.
  For the next several years, Dorothy Height served in a dual role: as 
a YWCA staff member and NCNW volunteer, integrating her training as a 
social worker and her commitment to rise above the limitations of race 
and sex. She rose quickly through the ranks of the YWCA, from working 
at the Emma Ransom House in Harlem to the Executive Directorship of the 
Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington, DC to the YWCA National 
headquarters office.
  For thirty-three years, from 1944 through 1977, Dorothy Height served 
on the staff of the National Board of the YWCA and held several 
leadership positions in public affairs and leadership training and as 
Director of the National YWCA School for Professional Workers. In 1965, 
she was named Director of the Center for Racial Justice, a position she 
held until her retirement.
  In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in India, where she worked as a 
visiting professor in the Delhi School of Social Work at the University 
of Delhi, which was founded by the YWCAs of India, Burma and Ceylon. 
She would become renowned for her internationalism and humanitarianism. 
She traveled around the world expanding the work of the YWCA. She 
conducted a well-received study of the training of women's 
organizations in five African countries: Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra 
Leone, and Nigeria under the Committee of Correspondence.
  Dorothy Height loved and led her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She was 
elected National President of the sorority in 1947 and served in that 
capacity until 1956. She led the sorority to a new level of 
organizational development, initiation eligibility, and social action 
throughout her term. Her leadership training skills, social work 
background and knowledge of volunteerism benefited the sorority as it 
moved into a new era of activism on the national and international 
scene.
  In 1957, Dorothy Height was elected the fourth National President of 
NCNW and served in that position for 40 years, when she became Chair of 
the Board and President Emerita.
  In 1960, Dorothy Height was the woman team member leader in the 
United Civil Rights Leadership along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and 
John Lewis. In 1961, while Dorothy Height was participating in major 
Civil Rights leadership, she led NCNW to deal with unmet needs among 
women and their families to combat hunger, develop cooperative pig 
banks, provided families with community freezers and showers.
  In 1964, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Dorothy Height 
with Polly Cowan, an NCNW Board Member, organized teams of women of 
different races and faith as ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' to assist in 
the freedom schools and open communication between women of difference 
races. The workshops which followed stressed the need for decent 
housing which became the basis for NCNW in partnership with the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop Turnkey III Home 
Ownership for low income families in Gulfport, Mississippi.
  In 1970, Dorothy Height directed the series of activities culminating 
in the YWCA Convention adopting as its ``One Imperative'' to the 
elimination of racism. That same year she also established the Women's 
Center for Education and Career Advancement in New York City to prepare 
women for entry level jobs. This experience led her in 1975 to 
collaborate with Pace College to establish a course of study leading to 
the Associate Degree for Professional Studies (AAPS).
  In 1975, Dorothy Height participated in the Tribunal at the 
International Women's Year Conference of the United Nations in Mexico 
City. As a result of this experience, NCNW was awarded a grant from the 
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to hold a 
conference within the conference for women from the United States, 
African countries, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. This was 
followed with a site visit with 50 of the women to visit with rural 
women in Mississippi. Under the auspices of the USAID, Dorothy Height 
lectured in South Africa after addressing the National Convention of 
the Black Women's Federation of South Africa near Johannesburg (1977). 
Since 1986, she has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Black family.
  Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Dorothy Height:
  NCNW achieved tax-exempt status in 1966;
  NCNW dedicated the statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park, 
Washington D.C. in 1974; the first woman to be so honored on public 
land in the Nation's Capital;
  Developed model national and community-based programs ranging from 
teen-age parenting to pig ``banks''--which addressed hunger in rural 
areas;
  Established the Bethune Museum and Archives for Black Women, the 
first institution devoted to black women's history;
  Established the Bethune Council House as a national historic site;
  Transformed NCNW into an issue-oriented political organization, 
sponsoring ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' when interracial groups of 
women would help out at Freedom Schools; organizing voter registration 
drives in the South; and fostering communications between black and 
white women.
  Established the Black Family Reunion Celebration in 1986 to reinforce 
the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black family.

[[Page 5858]]

  Among the major awards bestowed upon Dorothy Irene Height in 
gratitude and appreciation for her service to our nation and the world 
are the following:
  Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Bill Clinton;
  Congressional Gold Medal presented by President George W. Bush;
  John F. Kennedy Memorial Award;
  NAACP--Spingarn Medal;
  Hadassah Myrtle Wreath of Achievement;
  Ministerial Interfaith Association Award;
  Ladies Home Journal--Woman of the Year;
  Congressional Black Caucus--Decades of Service;
  President Ronald Reagan--Citizens Medal;
  Franklin Roosevelt--Freedom Medal
  Essence Award; and
  The Camille Cosby World of Children Award.
  Dorothy Height was also elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame 
and is the recipient of thirty-six honorary degrees from colleges and 
universities as diverse as: Tuskegee University, Harvard University, 
Spelman College, Princeton University, Bennett College, Pace 
University, Lincoln University, Columbia University, Howard University, 
New York University, Morehouse College, and Meharry Medical College.
  Madam Speaker, Dorothy Height has witnessed or participated in 
virtually every major movement for social and political change in the 
last century. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height has fought for the 
equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member 
of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip 
Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her 
vision and dedication made NCNW the premier organization in advocating 
for the health, education and economic empowerment for all women of 
African descent around the world.
  Thank you, Dorothy Height, for your service to our nation. You have 
made America a better place for all persons of all races, religions, nd 
backgrounds. You have mentored hundreds, been a role model to 
thousands, and a hero to millions. You are an American original. I am 
glad to count you as a friend.
  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my condolences on 
the passing of Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. Born March 24, 1912, in 
Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Height went on to become one of the most 
influential civil rights activists and a symbol of African American 
advancement in the United States.
  After graduating with a Master's degree in psychology from New York 
University, Dr. Height continued her early career with postgraduate 
work at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work. In 
her lifetime, she eventually received 36 Honorary Doctorate Degrees, 
along with a plethora of awards in recognition of her outstanding work 
in the field.
  In 1937, she was invited to join the National Council of Negro Women 
in her quest for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and 
education. This is when her career as civil rights activist began. She 
fought for equal rights for both African Americans and women alongside 
of the big six of the civil rights movement--Dr. Martin Luther King, 
Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins, and John 
Lewis. She served in many leadership roles with prominent groups such 
as the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, National Council of Negro 
Women, and the YWCA.
  Among her many awards, Dr. Height was awarded the Presidential 
Citizens Medal, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the 
Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the US Congress--our nation's 
highest honors bestowed upon extraordinary citizens like Dr. Height.
  Dr. Height passed away on April 20, 2010. It is with deep sadness 
that I offer my condolences to her family, friends, and to the many 
lives touched by Dr. Height.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize the life and achievements of a trailblazing civil rights 
leader and dedicated American citizen, Dr. Dorothy I. Height.
  Dr. Height was born on March 24, 1912 in Virginia and spent her 
formative years in Pennsylvania. She completed a degree at New York 
University in 1932 and a year later received a master's degree in 
educational psychology. She would spend the rest of her life active in 
the civil rights movement working diligently to ensure that every 
American was treated equally and fairly.
  As a natural leader, Dr. Height led the National Council of Negro 
Women for forty years from 1957 to 1997. Her service and dedication to 
both this organization and all African-Americans were tireless, and she 
will forever be remembered as one of the most influential and important 
women in the civil rights movement. In 1963, when Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. gave his famous ``I Have a Dream'' speech, Dr. Height stood 
mere feet from him as he addressed the crowded mall that day. Four and 
a half decades later, she would hear the echoes of the civil rights 
movement resound in the inauguration of Barack Obama, America's first 
African-American President. Truly, she saw some of the most famous and 
unique events of the last century, many of which were due in large part 
to her work and efforts.
  Dr. Height was the recipient of countless awards throughout her 
lifetime including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 
Congressional Gold Medal. She received 36 honorary doctorate degrees 
from various universities across the country, and additionally, met, 
spoke with, and offered counsel to Presidents from Eisenhower to Obama.
  Madam Speaker, America and the world has lost a giant with the 
passing of Dr. Dorothy Height. I will remember her as a woman of 
conviction who fought and worked until her final days at 98 years old. 
Truly, we have benefitted immensely because of her, and we owe her a 
deep debt of gratitude for giving everything she could so that our 
country might be better and fairer. I ask my fellow colleagues to join 
me today in honoring her and remembering her dedication to the American 
people.
  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in mourning of Dorothy 
Height--a dynamic, resilient spirit who served as the matriarch and 
female voice of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement--and in celebration of 
a career that spanned eight decades, beginning as a teenager in the 
budding United Christian Youth Movement. By her 20s, she was the 
group's leader in campaigns against lynchings and segregation in the 
Armed Forces, including a stint as the lead in dealing with the outcome 
of the Harlem riot in 1935. Her meteoric rise to influence came as 
president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), a post she 
retained for three decades. In an era of racial tension and the march 
towards greater minority rights, Height set herself apart as a pioneer, 
marching with Martin Luther King, Jr., A. Phillip Randolph, and my 
esteemed colleague, Rep. John Lewis. Forty years ago, she stood 
alongside King, a marble and limestone Lincoln, and a reflecting pool, 
as he announced a dream he had of a more perfect union. She not only 
stood at the precipice of history, she helped carve out a significant 
and indelible part of it.
  The cause of her life proved to be dealing with the unmet needs of 
the downtrodden and forgotten. As president of NCNW, she focused on 
improving the lot of women and their families, working tirelessly to 
combat hunger and establish home ownership programs for those of low 
income. After 30 years at the helm of NCNW, she became its chair and 
never gave up the fight well into her late 90s. She recently met with 
President Obama as part of a group of key African American leaders 
meeting at the White House for a summit on race and the economy. In 
1994, President Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 
and ten years later, this Richmond, Virginia native born to working-
class parents earned the highest civilian and most distinguished award 
presented by this Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal.
  Dorothy Height taught us all--women and men of all faiths and races--
to never relent in the struggle for equality. With a steel spine, grit, 
and determination, she lent a powerful female voice to a movement that 
needed her personal grace and perseverance. She had no tolerance for 
sitting idly by or leaving the hard work for generations that followed, 
famously noting that ``if the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the 
time.'' May we carry that sentiment and her uplifting spirit as we face 
the challenges that confront us as a nation. She will be missed, but 
the power of her life's work will not: it will continue to inspire and 
motivate us for generations to come.
  Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember and honor the 
legacy of Dr. Dorothy Height, who passed away this morning at the age 
of 98. As one of the most significant figures of the Civil Rights 
Movement, Dr. Dorothy Height was a true American heroine. Dr. Height 
spent her entire life fighting injustice and discrimination, and, in 
doing so, helped make our society more equitable and tolerant.
  Dr. Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1912, a setting 
in which racism and sexism were the norm. However, Dr. Height did not 
let this oppressive environment prevent her from following her dreams. 
After being denied entrance to Barnard College due to a quota allowing 
only two African-American students per class, she enrolled at New York 
University, where she earned a Master's degree in educational 
psychology.
  Although Dr. Height began her career as a caseworker, she soon felt 
called to the arena

[[Page 5859]]

of social justice and joined the National Council of Negro Women. In 
1957, Dr. Height was elected President of the National Council of Negro 
Women and proudly served in that post for 40 years. Dr. Height also 
served as the president of the historically black Delta Sigma Theta 
Sorority, where she developed programs that promoted education and 
leadership among African-American women.
  Dr. Height is often referred to as the ``godmother of the Civil 
Rights Movement `` due to her founding role in the Movement and her 
consistent voice of guidance and inspiration in the fight against 
discrimination. Dr. Height fought to desegregate public schools, obtain 
voting rights for African-Americans, and ensure equality for women of 
all races. Dr. Height marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and gave 
advice to Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson on civil 
rights and women's rights issues.
  Dr. Height's amazing and inspirational work has been honored by our 
nation's most prestigious awards. In 1994, President Bill Clinton 
awarded Dr. Height with the Medal of Freedom and in 2004, President 
George W. Bush presented her with the Congressional Gold Medal. Dr. 
Height has also received the Presidential Citizen Medal, the Franklin 
Delano Roosevelt Freedom From Want Award, the Spingarn Medal from the 
NAACP, and the 7th Annual Heinz Award Chairman's Medal.
  Dr. Height never stopped fighting for justice and equality, and in 
January 2009, Dr. Height was honored as a distinguished guest at the 
inauguration of our nation's first African-American president.
  Our country has lost a true leader and a beacon of social justice. I 
extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Dorothy 
Height, as they grieve the loss of this special individual. All 
Americans mourn her loss, but we take solace in the certain knowledge 
that our country is better because of her.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
incredible life and legacy of a great leader in the Civil Rights 
Movement and a dear friend and neighbor, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, who 
passed away this morning, at the age of 98.
  Dr. Height was always elegant, full of grace and poise, naturally 
commanding attention. She led an extraordinary life fighting for civil 
rights and women's rights. Her fight began when she was denied entrance 
into college because the school had filled its annual quota of black 
students, and she never gave up the fight.
  Over the years, she continued the fight for justice and equality for 
all Americans. In fact, Dr. Height was on stage at the Lincoln Memorial 
with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he delivered his ``I Have a 
Dream'' speech. She was in Birmingham, Alabama to comfort the families 
of the four African-American girls who perished in the bombing of the 
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. She watched as President John F. 
Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act to eliminate wage disparity based on 
sex. She also helped create and organize the Black Family Reunion 
Celebration, and was among the few women present at the Million Man 
March in 1995.
  Throughout her life, she befriended countless people as she strove 
for justice. Among her many friends were the American educator and 
National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) founder Mary McLeod Bethune, 
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and Dr. King, to name a few.
  Dr. Height also served as the Director of the YWCA's Center for 
Racial Justice, as a visiting professor at the Delhi School of Social 
Work in India, as National President of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, 
and as the fourth President of the NCNW. Her forty-year tenure as 
President of the NCNW was the highlight of her distinguished career.
  In addition to her tireless work for racial justice and gender 
equality, she served on the advisory council of the White House 
Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the 
National Advisory Council on Aging. Along with her 36 honorary 
doctorates from colleges and universities, she is a recipient of the 
Congressional Gold Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  Although she received many accolades, she did not put forth her best 
efforts to achieve notoriety or fame. She said, ``Stop worrying about 
whose name gets in the paper and start doing something . . . We must 
try to take our task more seriously and ourselves more lightly.''
  Dr. Dorothy Irene Height was a remarkable woman. Her years were long 
as were her accomplishments. Leonardo da Vinci said, ``As a well-spent 
day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death.'' May 
Dr. Height sleep happily now for a life well used.
  Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening with a heavy heart. 
Yesterday morning, our Nation learned that yet another transcendent 
leader of our Nation's civil and human rights movement, Dr. Dorothy 
Irene Height, has gone home to be with God.
  I honestly don't know what it will be like to work in our Nation's 
capital without the esteemed `godmother' of the Civil Rights Movement 
in our midst.
  Time does not permit me to give a soaring tribute to this 98-year-old 
woman whose place in our Nation's history was launched when she was 
denied entry to the college of her choice, in 1929. You see, at that 
time, despite her academic acceptance, Barnard had set an artificial 
quota of allowing only two African Americans admittance each year.
  Well, well, well, look what ``Number 3'' did with her life!
  Whenever I reflect upon the impact Dr. Dorothy Height had upon our 
Nation, I will always think of a woman of steely determination and 
grit. But I will also remember someone who reveled in the grace of 
being a pioneering woman, as her many colorful hats will attest!
  This Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree leaves our Nation with a 
literal monument to her accomplishments in the form of the National 
Council of Negro Women Headquarters Building, at 633 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, N.W., a building that they own. And you know what? It's a 
building that's in the same neighborhood of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
N.W.--a home that, right now, is occupied by a President and a First 
Lady who, like Dr. Height, dared to dream big dreams.
  May God bless and keep Dr. Dorothy Height and the men and women of 
this Nation who loved her.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, first, let me thank 
Congresswoman Watson for reserving this Special Order today to honor 
the life, legacy and service of Dorothy Height.
  Our Nation has lost an inspirational civil rights leader and 
unwavering advocate for women's rights. As the president of the 
National Council of Negro Women for four decades, Ms. Height fought 
tirelessly for the rights of African-American women. She was a shining 
example for those devoted to achieving equality for all Americans, and 
she served as a hero and role model for those working toward social 
justice.
  As leader of the NCNW, she confronted the problems facing women and 
families in areas ranging from child care, to health care and 
nutrition, to housing. Along with other women's leaders including 
Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, and Betty Friedan, she helped 
establish the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971. Dorothy's 
career in civil rights and women's advocacy spanned nearly 80 years of 
social movements, from the New Deal era to today. She was there for the 
anti-lynching protests in the early 1930s; she was there with Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., our colleague John Lewis and other civil 
rights leaders in the watershed 1960s; she was there for the election 
of our first African-American President, Barack Obama.
  For her achievements and dedication, Dorothy Height was awarded the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, a 
Congressional Gold Medal in 2004, and 36 honorary doctorates from 
colleges and universities. Her passion and soul have fundamentally 
improved the American social landscape, and we are truly grateful for 
her commitment to racial and gender equality. Our thoughts and prayers 
are with her sister, Anthanette Aldridge, and all Americans whose lives 
she has touched.

                          ____________________