Culture & Society
Dorothy Height, unsung heroine
By: Cindy Barnes-Thomas
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Thu, 04/01/2010 - 07:55
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“If you worry about who is going to get credit, you don't get much work done.”-- Dorothy I. Height
Thankfully Dorothy Height never worried much about getting the credit because she was about getting things done. However, because she was consumed with making a difference and the tasks at hand, many people do not know anything about her, which is a travesty.
Dorothy Height fell ill last week on the eve of her 98th birthday celebration in Washington, D.C. and I was surprised by how many people didn’t know who she was. Height is one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement and has been an activist since 1933. Although many do not recognize her name, she was mentored by Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt. Height had already been in the struggle for 30 years when she stood alongside Martin Luther King Jr., A. Philip Randolph and Whitney M. Young when King gave his infamous I Have a Dream speech at the March on Washington.
Just in case you missed the memo, Dorothy I. Height is kind of a big deal.
Granted, she is known in many circles for her pioneering activism but she is far from a household name. When people talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, Height is indeed one of those giants who has spent her entire life in the service of others and has made it possible for us to progress and make great strides.
I am not going to run down her entire resume because we’d be here all day listing every single accomplishment she has achieved in over 75 years of community service and activism. Height served as the 10th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., but was most recognized for leading the National Council of Negro Women for 50 years. She also worked for the YWCA and served on its National Board for over 30 years. After 50 years of working against injustice and improving the quality of life for minorities and women, she wanted to address poor images of Blacks and founded the Black Family Reunion in 1986. A lot of people would have called it a day a long time ago, but Height continues to work at improving the lives of others.
And did I mention that she’s fly too? Every time you see Ms. Height she is in full makeup, hair perfectly coiffed and impeccably dressed in a suit with a matching hat. At 98, she has put in more work than most of us can ever fathom. Height is simply a phenomenal woman whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
All I can say is thank you Ms. Height and wish her a speedy recovery so she can receive her roses while she is still here.
Cindy is a graduate of Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University College of Law. Her work has been published in The Dayton Daily News, The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star, BNA’s Environmental Compliance Bulletin and Texas Environmental Compliance Bulletin. She currently works as a consultant and is working on her first novel.
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