Honoring the Legacy Dr. Dorothy Height

The civil rights icon blazed a path for equality.

/content/dam/betcom/images/2013/02/National-02-16-02-28/022513-national-lwd-dorothy-height-1.jpg
Dorothy Height - She was a civil rights and women's rights activist who focused her efforts on improving the opportunities available to African-American women.  (Photo:  Express Newspapers/Getty Images)
Dr. Dorothy Height - In 1994, civil and women’s right activist Dr. Dorothy Height was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. During her 40 year tenure as president of the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years, she specifically focused on unemployment, illiteracy and voter awareness. Dr. Height also received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.  (Photo: Stephen J. Boitano/Getty Images)
Dorothy Height - Dorothy Height was honored with the Presidential Citizens' Medal in 1989 for distinguished service. (Photo: Wikicommons)National Council of Negro Women - In 1957, Height was named president of the National Council of Negro Women. She held the position for 40 years. "I hope not to work this hard all the rest of my life," she said when she left her post in 1997. "But whether it is the council, whether it is somewhere else, for the rest of my life, I will be working for equality, for justice, to eliminate racism, to build a better life for our families and our children." (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Next Gallery

56th NAACP Image Awards Highlights

23 Photos

3 / 15

Early Career - In 1937, while working at the Harlem YWCA, she met famed educator Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of the National Council of Negro Women, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who came to speak at one of the organization’s meetings. She joined the organization the same year, thus starting her career in the civil rights movement fighting for equality for both Blacks and women. (Photo: Express Newspapers/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT