III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 492 

Honoring the life and achievements of Dr. Dorothy I. Height. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 20, 2010 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. HATCH, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. 

SPECTER, Mr. BURRIS, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. WARNER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. 

LEVIN, Mr. WEBB, Mr. FEINGOLD, and Ms. LANDRIEU) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the life and achievements of Dr. Dorothy I. Height. 

Whereas Dr. Dorothy I. Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, on March 24, 1912; 

Whereas Dorothy Height died on April 20, 2010, at the age 

of 98, in Washington, D.C., and was survived by her sister Anthanette Height Aldridge; 

Whereas Dorothy Height was valedictorian of her high school 

and won a national oratorical contest; 

Whereas Dorothy Height attended New York University and 

graduated in 3 years, receiving a master’s degree in educational psychology; 

Whereas Dorothy Height began her career as a caseworker 

for the Department of Social Services of New York City; 


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•SRES 492 ATS 

Whereas Dorothy Height joined the Harlem Young Women’s 

Christian Association (referred to in this preamble as the 

‘‘YWCA’’) and remained a full time employee until 1975; 

Whereas Dorothy Height organized and became the director 

of the YWCA Center for Racial Justice in 1965; 

Whereas, in 1957, Dorothy Height became the fourth president of the National Council of Negro Women, a the social services organization with more than 4,000,000 

members nationwide, that is comprised of a number of 

civic, church, educational, labor, community, and professional groups, and served as president for 40 years; 

Whereas Dorothy Height became arguably the most influential woman of the civil rights movement; 

Whereas Dorothy Height spent her life fighting for racial justice and gender equality; 

Whereas Dorothy Height was known for her insistent voice 

that commanded attention on civil rights issues; 

Whereas Dorothy Height liked to say, ‘‘If the times aren’t 

ripe, you have to ripen the times.’’; 

Whereas Dorothy Height was honored in 1994 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in 

the United States, by President William Jefferson Clinton; 

Whereas Dorothy Height received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from more than 20 universities 

and colleges; 

Whereas Dorothy Height was honored in March 2004 with 

the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest decoration 

Congress can bestow; 


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•SRES 492 ATS 

Whereas the passing of Dorothy Height is a great loss to the 

Nation: Now, therefore be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the outstanding contributions of 

3 Dr. Dorothy I. Height to the civil rights and wom4 en’s rights movement; 

5 (2) pays tribute to Dr. Dorothy I. Height, and 

6 her passion, dedication to service, and unwavering 

7 commitment to equality; and 

8 (3) requests the Secretary of the Senate to 

9 transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the 

10 Washington, D.C. headquarters of the National 

11 Council of Negro Women, Inc. 

Æ 


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