Dr. Dorothy Height was born in Virginia, and grew up in Pennsylvania. She attended New York University on scholarship, earning her Master’s degree. Height became a caseworker with the New York City Welfare Department, and volunteered for the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), founded by friend and mentor Mary McLeod Bethune. In 1944 she began work for the National Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), active with the organization until 1977.

Height served as President of NCNW, a member of the NWHM Coalition, from 1957-1997. Among a multitude of educational programs and policies, Height developed “Wednesdays in Mississippi” building interracial dialogue between women from the North and South. Dr. Height has been awarded many awards and honors including induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Congressional Medal of Honor. Dr. Height serves as chair and president emeriti of NCNW.

 

 

Works Cited:

• This article is reprinted from a NWHM Winter Newsletter
• Image from Congressional Gold Medal Recipients Page
  

 

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