Dorothy Heights was an American administrator, educator, and civil rights and woman’s activist specifically focused on the issues of African American women. Certain issues Constance focused on was unemployment, illiteracy and voter awareness. She was the president the National Council of Negro Women for forty years and awarded the President Medal of Freedom in 1994.
Dorothy Irene Heights was born on March 24, 1912 in Richmond VA. At early age her family decided to move to Rankin, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Rankin HS in 1929. She attended Elks on a scholarship which helped her attend college. She attended Banard College but on her way to get settled she was denied due to the policy that they only allow two black students to attend a year. Due to this she decided to attend New York University and graduated in 1932 and got a master degree in education psychology.
While working as a social worker for some time she then later began working as a staff member for the Harlem YWCA in 1937. She fought for equal rights for both African Americans and woman. She experienced had a life changing moment while working there. She met a couple of historic females such as Mary McLeod Bethune when and the US Eleanor Roosevelt came to visit the facility. She became close with Mary not to long after volunteering with the NCNW. Being the National President of Delta Sigma Theta from 1946 to 1957 she developed leadership training programs and interracial and ecumenical education programs. In 1957 she became National Council of Negro Women. She started “Wednesday in Mississippi which allowed black and white woman from the north and south to come together to create dialogue for a better understanding of each other.
Dorothy help a number of committees including as a helper on African affairs dealing with the Secretary of State. The president committee of employment for handicapped and the president committee on the status of women. In 1990 Dorothy and 15 others African American women and men formed a group for African American Women for Reproductive Freedom. Dorothy was recognized by Banard for her achievements as honorary achievement during it commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown v Board of Education of 2004. Dorothy also the chairperson of Executive Committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. In March of 2010 she was admitted in Howard University Hospital for unannounced reason and on April 20, 2010 she died at the age 94.
Mary McLeod Bethune, Constance B Motley and Dorothy Heights all were civil rights activist and leaders to help black woman in communities and the world that we live in today. They each played a significant role in which help fight for rights of black woman to gain more power and not get looked down on. Education wise all three of these woman struggled based on the lack of finical funding, stereo type of skin color or being denied. Though they faced these troubles they did not let this stop them from reaching their goals. They all achieved high honors by being the First African American Female to hold a high position. Though they had many battles they could’ve knocked them down people believe in them and their goals they had to changes lives not only for the community but for the world.
