Date: 2010-04-20
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. today a giant of a human being. a light at the end of the tunnel. a calm voice in the midst of a storm. but yet a woman who could create a storm around the issues of freedom and justice. passed away from this world and from our hearts. Dr. Dorothy Irene Height died today. And I want to join with my colleagues and. as well. the Honorable DIANE WATSON. who will have a special hour in tribute to Dr. Height tonight. but I wanted to take the time to make sure that every aspect of our RECORD today reflected on her loss. We have lost. of course. Dr. Benjamin Hooks. who we have paid tribute to today as well. But in this life. there are few giants who reach down to talk to those who are still learning. Dr. Dorothy Height was that woman. She was the only woman that was present at the 1963 historic and powerful March on Washington. She stayed steadfast in her meetings with Franklin Delano Roosevelt. and of course she was successor to the National Council of Negro Women. The only building on Pennsylvania Avenue owned by African Americans. and in this instance African American women. is the Office of the National Council headed by Dr. Dorothy Height. a historic presence on Pennsylvania Avenue just a few blocks away from the White House. What a statement of power. This afternoon as I landed here in Washington. I went to that building to pay respects. I just simply had to be in her presence in this building. to be able to see her pictures and her face and to see and hear those who were gathering to be able to honor her. The whole plaza is part of that building. And as I walked in. I heard the story that a homeless person came in the building to provide some flowers to say "thank you" to Dr. Height for taking care of them. the men and women that surrounded her building tragically who are homeless. but yet they knew of this giant of a woman who cared enough to let it be known that they were human beings. For 33 years from 1944 through 1977. Dorothy Height served on the staff of the national board of the YWCA. and of course she continued her service through the National Council of Negro Women. Im proud to be in the chapter. the Dorothy Height Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women in Houston. Texas. In 1952. Dorothy Height lived in India. an African American women. She was at the Delhi School of Social Work. And of course. through her work with the YWCA. she worked in India and Burma and Ceylon. Dorothy Height was subsequently elected the fourth national president of the National Council of Negro Women. In 1960. Dr. Height was a woman team member. leader in the united civil rights leadership along with Dr. Martin Luther King. Whitney H. Young. A. Philip Randolph. James Farmer. Roy Wilkins. and JOHN LEWIS. our colleague. But remember what I said. the only woman. What Ive come to know of Dr. Height as a Member of Congress and before is that she is a woman that can speak in a resonating fashion. At the drop of a hat. you can turn to her and say. Dr. Height. will you give us some remarks? And when she finishes. you feel like you can fly like the eagles fly. She has given you words that will capture your heart and your spirit. and you say. I will be a fighter for justice. A distinguished woman. a hatwearing woman. but one thing about Dr. Height. she was a woman of dignity. but she never ran away from a fight for justice. And she knew how to be an agitator and a protester. but she knew also how to be loving. So the many things that we can attribute to her include her work in the International Tribunal of the International Womens Year. Mr. Speaker. shes won so many awards. but I wanted to come to this floor tonight to be able to say. Dr. Height. there will be many more words that will come on your passing. but all I can say tonight is we love you and may you rest in peace.