wfn.org | Dorothy Height remembered as a supporter of church unity

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

>Ecumenical leaders recall Dorothy I. Height
>as a tireless supporter of church unity

Washington, April 20, 2010 -- Dorothy Irene Height, who began her  activist 
career as a teenager marching in New York's Times Square  shouting, "Stop the 
lynching," was remembered Tuesday as one of the last  great voices of the 
American Civil Rights Movement.

Height, 98, who led the National Council of Negro Women for four decades  and 
continued to speak out on justice issues in her 90s, died early  today.
"We remember Dr. Height both as a civil rights leader and as a tireless  
champion of church unity," said the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, General  
Secretary of the National Council of Churches.

"History will not forget the contributions Dorothy Height made to the  cause of 
freedom and justice," Kinnamon said. "We in the church will  never forget the 
essential role her faith played in motivating her  lifelong quest on behalf of 
persons of all ages, races and ethnicities.  She knew that persons of faith can 
be an irresistible force for justice  when we join hearts and hands, and she 
was a leader in that march  throughout most of our lifetimes."
A United Methodist, Height was the first recipient in 2004 of the  National 
Council of Churches J. Irwin Miller Award, named for one of the  Council's lay 
presidents, Kinnamon noted. (See  
www.ncccusa.org/generalassembly/ga2004/heighttext.html)

Presenting the award was Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt of the Christian  Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and NCC president in 2004.

"Friends, I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving of the J. Irwin  
Miller Award than Dorothy Height," Hoyt said at the time. "She is a  living 
legend in the movement for civil rights in this nation. She has  dedicated 
herself to improving the quality of life for African-American  women and 
children. She is known internationally for her work for human  rights for all. 
The world is truly a better place because of the work  and witness of Dr. 
Dorothy Irene Height.

"Dr. Height is also an unassuming and gracious woman of God. When you  first 
see her, impeccably dressed from head to toe, with soft smile, and  a twinkle 
in her eye, you would not imagine what a powerful woman she  has become," said 
Hoyt.

Height was also honored by Church Women United in 1999 as a recipient of  the 
CWU Human Rights Award.

"Dr. Height was a tremendous supporter of Church Women United since our  
beginning in 1941," said Djamillah Samad, Church Women United national  
executive in New York.

Height and her friend Eleanor Roosevelt, then First Lady, saw the  organization 
as an important witness for peace on the brink of the  Second World War. "We 
are going to miss her greatly. It was through the  leadership and guidance of 
women like Dr. Height that working with  social justice issues from a Christian 
perspective became and remains  the focus of CWU today," Samad said.

In 1937, while she was working at the Harlem YWCA, Height met famed  educator 
Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder of the National Council of  Negro Women, and 
first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had come to speak at  a meeting of Bethune's 
organization. Height eventually rose to  leadership roles in both the council 
and the YWCA.

In 2006, National Council of Churches staff were invited to preview  
performances of a musical about the life of Dorothy Height, "If This Hat  Could 
Talk." The "hat" referred to Height's wide-brimmed trademark hats  that she 
wore throughout her life. (See  www.ncccusa.org/069530hat.html)

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office),  646-853-4212 (cell) 
, pjenks@ncccusa.org