IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 414 
Recognizing and honoring the life achievements of Katherine Dunham for 
being one of the world’s most respected dancers, a teacher, mentor, 
choreographer, author, actress, and humanitarian. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2006 
Mr. CLAY (for himself and Mr. COSTELLO) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Recognizing and honoring the life achievements of Katherine 
Dunham for being one of the world’s most respected 
dancers, a teacher, mentor, choreographer, author, ac-
tress, and humanitarian. 
Whereas Katherine Dunham was born in 1909 in Chicago, Il-
linois, and began formal dance training in her late teens; 
Whereas Katherine Dunham completed her bachelor’s degree 
in social anthropology at the University of Chicago, was 
a pioneer in the use of folk and ethnic choreography, and 
was one of the founders of the anthropological dance 
movement; 
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Whereas Katherine Dunham was a dancer, choreographer, 
and director on Broadway, and was the first black cho-
reographer at the Metropolitan Opera; 
Whereas in the late 1930s, Katherine Dunham served as an 
inspiration to black artists by establishing her own dance 
school and touring company, the Katherine Dunham 
Dance Company, which was one of the first predomi-
nantly black dance troupes; 
Whereas Katherine Dunham revolutionized American dance 
by incorporating the roots of black dance and ritual and 
making her choreography accessible to all through the 
Dunham Technique; 
Whereas during the 1940s, the Katherine Dunham Dance 
Company toured in more than 60 countries; 
Whereas in 1945, Katherine Dunham founded the Dunham 
School of Dance and Theatre in Manhattan, which pro-
vided a central location for students to immerse them-
selves in dance technique while also studying topics in the 
humanities, languages, ethics, philosophy, and drama; 
Whereas in 1967, Katherine Dunham joined the faculty of 
Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, where she 
established a dance anthropology program and helped 
create the Performing Arts Training Center; 
Whereas Katherine Dunham used her dance career and pub-
lic status to draw attention to social injustices at home 
and abroad; 
Whereas during World War II, Katherine Dunham success-
fully filed law suits against hotels in Cincinnati and Chi-
cago for racial discrimination; 
Whereas in 1964, Katherine Dunham was deeply moved by 
the poverty in East St. Louis, Illinois, and proposed an 
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education project that she hoped would reach far beyond 
dance and be concerned with the fundamentals of human 
society; 
Whereas in 1969 Katherine Dunham created a community- 
based arts education program in East St. Louis, Illinois, 
called the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Hu-
manities, which enrolls at-risk youth in programs in fine, 
performing, and cultural arts; 
Whereas the Katherine Dunham Center is the only multi-dis-
ciplinary arts organization in the St. Louis Metropolitan 
region devoted to the study, appreciation, and celebration 
of diverse cultures; 
Whereas in 1993, Katherine Dunham went on a 47-day hun-
ger strike at the age of 82 to protest the United States 
policy of deporting Haitian refugees and to call attention 
to the welfare of Haitians; 
Whereas Katherine Dunham has received 10 honorary doctor-
ates, the French Legion of Honor, Southern Cross of 
Brazil, Grand Cross of Haiti, NAACP Lifetime Achieve-
ment Award, Lincoln Academy Laureate, the Urban 
Leagues’ Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Presi-
dential Medal of Arts and has been inducted into the St. 
Louis Walk of Fame; and 
Whereas Katherine Dunham died at the age of 96 while striv-
ing to continue giving hope to the poverty stricken com-
munity of East St. Louis, Illinois through her museum: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), 
That 
Congress 
recognizes 
Katherine 
Dunham— 
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(1) for being one of the world’s most respected 
dancers; 
(2) for her work as a teacher, mentor, choreog-
rapher, philosopher, author, and actress; 
(3) for her dedication to improving the opportu-
nities in the arts that are available to the Nation’s 
youth; and 
(4) for her lifelong commitment to humani-
tarian causes around the world. 
Æ 
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