nPostednon March 24, 2015
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nIfnyou had to list the biggest names in the Civil Rights movement, whonwould you name?
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nYou’dnprobably name Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rosa Parks. You might listnJames Farmer and John Lewis. You probably wouldn’t mention today’snfamous birthday…
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nButnaccording to James Farmer, you should!
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Farmernclaims that Dorothy Height was one of the six top movers-and-shakersnin the Civil Rights movement. She was left off of most people’s “BignSix” lists, he said, because she was a woman.
Farmernclaims that Dorothy Height was one of the six top movers-and-shakersnin the Civil Rights movement. She was left off of most people’s “BignSix” lists, he said, because she was a woman.n
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nBornnon this date in 1912, in Virginia, Height received a scholarship tonattend college and was formally admitted to Barnard College. But whennshe arrived at college, ready to register for classes, she was turnednaway. Apparently there was an unwritten rule that the college onlynadmitted two black students per year, and those token spots werenalready filled!
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Heightnstill managed to get a college education elsewhere and began to worknas a caseworker for the New York City Welfare Department.
Heightnstill managed to get a college education elsewhere and began to worknas a caseworker for the New York City Welfare Department.n
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nHeightnwas a joiner, a fighter, an activist. She was an active member of ansorority, and she used the organization to create leadership trainingnprograms for women (especially focusing on African American women).
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nShe joined the national staff of the YWCA, and she joined thenNational Council of Negro Women; she helped create the organizationncalled the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership and thenAfrican-American Women for Reproductive Freedom.
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nHeightnalso organized “Wednesdays in Mississippi” – a program withnwhich well-connected, educated white and black women who live in thennorth would leave for Mississippi on Tuesday and return to the northnon Thursday. All day Wednesday, they would meet with southern whitenand black women—there would be discussions and workshops andnprojects. n
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nWednesdaysnin Mississippi was an attempt to build bridges between races, betweennclasses, between different regional and societal groups. Apparently,nit worked very well to increase connection and understanding and tonhelp motivate people for social and racial justice!
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| In addition to being an administrator and writer, Dorothy Height was an educator. |
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| Dorothy Height was known for her hats!! |
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nEvennthough Dorothy Height is left out of many discussions about the CivilnRights movement, she did meet with and influence leaders such asnFirst Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson.nShe wrote a newspaper column, she served on committees andncommissions, and she won honors such as the Presidential Medal ofnFreedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Her memoirs were turnedninto a musical stage play called If This Hat Could Talk.nHeight was even awarded a “Google Doodle” last year!
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nAlsonon this date:
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nCommonwealthnCovenant Day in Northern Marianas
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nMagiciannHarry Houdini’s birthday
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nAnniversarynof a very big stamp sale
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nNationalnTree Planting Day in Uganda
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in March
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nApriln holidays
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nApriln birthdays
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