Political Quotes

“Today I rise to honor the life and legacy of one of the most prominent figures of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. Dr. Height, a leading voice during the civil rights era, worked side by side with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other pioneers to bring about social justice and equality for African-Americans. Having faced racism much of her young life, she received a scholarship from Barnard College; however, she was turned away because the two-person quota for accepting black females had been reached . . . further thrusting her to fight vigorously to eliminate racial and gender inequality. Dr. Height, described as the ``glue'' that held together the family of black civil rights leaders, was the most influential and often the only female voice at the table working to emphasize and amplify social injustice across this country. Familiar with the strength, compassion and courage of women such as Fannie Lou Hamer, at the height of the civil rights movement, Dr. Height helped to organize ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'', a project to create a dialogue of understanding between both interracial and interfaith groups from the North and South. Dr. Height, through her selfless acts and noble devotion to the movement, encouraged President Dwight D. Eisenhower to desegregate schools and President Lyndon B. Johnson to appoint African-American women to positions in government in the 1960s. Dr.…”