Description
Dorothy Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010) was an American civil rights and women’s rights activist, who devoted her life to fighting for racial and gender equality. She is often referred to as the “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement”.
Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, but moved to Rankin, Pennsylvania, at the age of nine. She was valedictorian of her high school class and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from New York University in 1942.
Height first became involved in civil rights issues in the 1930s, when she joined the National Council of Negro Women and worked to combat discrimination against African Americans. She was also active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where she served as president of its New York City branch from 1964 to 1977.
Height was instrumental in the organization of the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. She was also one of the few women present at the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march, and she was a close friend and colleague of Rosa Parks.
In addition to her civil rights activism, Height was also a leader in the women’s rights movement. She was a founding member of the National Women’s Political Caucus and served as president of the National Council of Negro Women from 1957 to 1998.
Height was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. She was also awarded honorary degrees from over 60 universities and colleges.
Throughout her life, Height worked tirelessly to create a more equitable society for all. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of civil rights and women’s rights activists.
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