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Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Dr. Dorothy Height
On Saturday, December 6, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law:
H.R. 1821, which provides for the production and presentation of a congressional gold medal to Dr. Dorothy Height and authorizes the production and sale to the public of bronze duplicates of the medal.
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient and Civil Rights Leader
Dr. Dorothy Irene Height will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a ceremony honoring her lifetime of achievements in the United States Capital Rotunda Washington D. C. on March 24, 2004. Rights Advocate Dorothy Height Honored
WASHINGTON - Hailing Dorothy Height as "the giant of the civil rights movement," President Bush on Wednesday presented her with the
Congressional Gold Medal. Height, who turned 92 on Wednesday, accepted Congress' highest honor under the vaulted dome of the Capitol Rotunda to warm applause from lawmakers. "I daresay there never was a birthday celebration like this one and it means a great deal to me," Height said. She served more than 30 years as the president of the
National Council of Negro Women, an organization dedicating to uplifting black women and their communities. She also held several leadership positions in the YWCA, where she advocated progressive policies embracing minorities. In 1964, she organized a series of informal dialogues between white and black women from the North and South called "Wednesdays in Mississippi." Citing those and other Height contributions, Bush called her a hero who has "helped to extend the promise of our founding to millions." "She's a woman of enormous accomplishment," the president said. "She's a friend of first ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Rodham Clinton. She's known every president since Dwight David Eisenhower. She's told every president what she thinks since Dwight David Eisenhower." Bush recalled that Height was the only woman in the "
Big 6," a group of black activists that included
Martin Luther King Jr. "Truth of the matter is, she was the giant of the civil rights movement," he said. More recently, she has won international recognition for her work promoting AIDS education. Height said she accepted the medal "on behalf of the millions of people, particularly women, whose work goes unnoticed." Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., said Height "has left a lasting legacy not only for African American families but the country as a whole." Since
George Washington received the first Congressional Gold Medal in 1776, Congress has bestowed the honor on some 300 people, including
Mother Teresa,
Pope John Paul II,
Rosa Parks and
President and Nancy Reagan.
Remarks by President Bush at the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony
Honoring Dr. Dorothy Height
A Great Woman Receives the Congressional Gold Medal For A Lifetime of Achievements
Civil Rights activist gets the Congressional Gold Medal Today, March 24, 2004 108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1821
To award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Dorothy Height in recognition of her many contributions to the Nation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 11, 2003 Ms. WATSON (for herself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BACA, Mr. BAKER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. BALLANCE, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. BELL, Mr. BEREUTER, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BERRY, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mrs. BONO, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BOYD, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. CAMP, Mrs. CAPITO, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. CASE, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. COOPER, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRANE, Mr. CROWLEY, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DICKS, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. DREIER, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. DUNN, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. EMANUEL, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. EVANS, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. FARR, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FORD, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. FROST, Mr. GEPHARDT, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GORDON, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. HALL, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. HART, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILL, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. HOLT, Mr. HONDA, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. HOYER, Mr. HYDE, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. ISSA, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. JEFFERSON, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. KANJORSKI, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. KIND, Mr. KIRK, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LATOURETTE, Ms. LEE, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. LOFGREN, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. MAJETTE, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. MATSUI, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. MICA, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. MOORE, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. NADLER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. OBEY, Mr. OLVER, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. OWENS, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. PETRI, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. POMBO, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. ROGERS of Michigan, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. ROSS, Mr. ROTHMAN, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. SABO, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SANDLIN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SCHROCK, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SIMMONS, Mr. SKELTON, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. SNYDER, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. STARK, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. TANNER, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. TURNER of Texas, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. WALDEN of Oregon, Mr. WAMP, Ms. WATERS, Mr. WATT, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. WELLER, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WU, Mr. WYNN, and Mr. YOUNG of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
A BILL To award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Dorothy Height in recognition of her many contributions to the Nation. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. FINDINGS. The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Dr. Dorothy Irene Height was born March 24, 1912, to James Edward Height and Fannie (Borroughs) Height in Richmond, Virginia and raised in Rankin, Pennsylvania. (2) Dr. Height is recognized as one of the preeminent social and civil rights activists of her time, particularly in the struggle for equality, social justice, and human rights for all peoples. (3) Beginning as a civil rights advocate in the 1930s, she soon gained prominence through her tireless efforts to promote interracial schooling, to register and educate voters, and to increase the visibility and status of women in our society. (4) She has labored to provide hope for inner-city children and their families, and she can claim responsibility for many of the advances made by women and
African Americans over the course of this century. (5) Her public career spans over 65 years. (6) Dr. Height was a valued consultant on human and civil rights issues to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and she encouraged President Eisenhower to desegregate the Nation's schools and President Johnson to appoint African-American women to sub-Cabinet posts. (7) Dr. Height has been President of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) since 1957, a position to which she was appointed upon the retirement of
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, one of the most influential African-American women in United States history. (8) The National Council of Negro Women is currently the umbrella organization for 250 local groups and 38 national groups engaged in economic development and women's issues. (9) Under Dr. Height's leadership, the National Council of Negro Women implemented a number of new and innovative programs and initiatives, including the following: (A) Operation Woman Power, a project to expand business ownership by women and to provide funds for vocational training. (B) Leadership training for African-American women in the rural South. (C) The Black Family Reunion, a nationwide annual gathering to encourage, renew and celebrate the concept of not only the Black family but all families. (D) The Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement to empower minority women in nontraditional careers. (E) The Bethune Museum and Archives, a museum devoted to African-American women's history. (10) Dr. Height has been at the forefront of AIDS education, both nationally and internationally; under her direction, the National Council of Negro Women established offices in West Africa and South Africa and worked to improve the conditions of women in the developing world. (11) Dr. Height has been central in the success of 2 other influential women's organizations, as follows: (A) As president and executive board member of Delta Sigma Theta, Dr. Height left the sorority more efficient and globally focused with a centralized headquarters. (B) Her work with the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) led to its integration and more active participation in the civil rights movement. (12) As a member of the `
Big Six' civil rights leaders with
Whitney Young,
A. Phillip Randolph,
Martin Luther King, Jr.,
James Farmer, and
Roy Wilkins, Dr. Height was the only female at the table when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others made plans for the civil rights movement. (13) Dr. Height is the recipient of many awards and accolades for her efforts on behalf of women's rights, including the following: (A) The Spingarn Award, the NAACP's highest honor for civil rights contributions. (B) The
Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by
President Clinton. (C) The
John F. Kennedy Memorial Award from the National Council of Jewish Women. (D) The Ministerial Interfaith Association Award for her contributions to interfaith, interracial, and ecumenical movements for over 30 years; (E) The Lovejoy Award, the highest recognition by the Grand Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World for outstanding contributions to human relations. (F) The Ladies Home Journal Woman of the Year Award in recognition for her work for human rights. (G) The William L. Dawson Award presented by the Congressional Black Caucus for decades of public service to people of color and particularly women. (H) The Citizens Medal Award for distinguished service presented by President Reagan. (I) The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Freedom Medal awarded by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. (14) Dr. Dorothy Height has established a lasting legacy of public service that has been an invaluable contribution to the progress of this Nation. SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. (a) PRESENTATION AUTHORIZED- The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of the Congress, to Dr. Dorothy Irene Height a gold medal of appropriate design in recognition of her many contributions to the Nation. (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING- For the purpose of the presentation referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to as the `Secretary') shall strike a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS. Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medals struck under section 2 at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses. SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS. The medals struck under this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code. SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; PROCEEDS OF SALE. (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There is hereby authorized to be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of the medal authorized under section 2. (b) PROCEEDS OF SALE- Amounts received from the sale of duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund. END Dr. Dorothy Height Congressional Gold Medal
"We African American Women seldom do just what we want to do, but always do what we have to do. I am grateful to have been in a time and place where I could be part of what was needed."
-Dorothy I. Height Dorothy Height, born March 24, 1912, in Richmond, Virginia, is recognized as one of the preeminent social and civil rights activists of her time, particularly in the struggle for equality, social justice and human rights. Dr. Height has been president of the National Council of Negro Women since 1957. Public Law 108-162, signed by President George W. Bush on December 6, 2003, authorizes the Department of the Treasury to produce a Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to Dr. Height in recognition for her many contributions to the Nation. The Dorothy Height Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to Dr. Height in a ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda on March 24, 2004. The United States Mint is proud to announce the upcoming availability of bronze duplicates of the Dorothy Height gold medal. We anticipate offering these historic bronze duplicates in the future. The bronze duplicate medals will be available in three-inch and 1-inch sizes. Please check back with this site for the Dorothy Height bronze medal on-sale date.
Dr. Dorothy Height Obverse
Dr. Dorothy Height Reverse
For more than half a century, Dorothy Height's leadership has advanced the liberation struggle of black women. She has indeed carried out the dream of her friend and mentor, Mary McLeod Bethune, to leave no one behind. November 7, 1937, Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder and president of the
National Council of Negro Women, noticed the assistant director of the Harlem YWCA as she escorted Eleanor Roosevelt into an NCNW meeting. When Bethune approached Height asking for help in advancing women's rights, she eagerly accepted a volunteer position. In doing so, she began her dual role with the YWCA and the NCNW, integrating her background as a social worker and educator and her experiences as an international youth and women's advocate with her commitment to rising above the limitations of race and sex. She began forging bonds between women across race and class in her travels and studies in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America and reaffirmed her conviction that making international connections to women would only strengthen her movement work. Height quickly rose through the ranks of the YWCA, working on programs and policies that pushed them toward more progressive attitudes concerning black women. The organization's full commitment to integration owes much to her work. Her career as a civil rights advocate blossomed, and in 1947, she was elected national president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. As with the YWCA and the NCNW, she carried them to another level, moving the sorority into a new era of activism on the national and international scenes. So naturally, her subsequent appointment as the president of the National Council of Negro Women in 1957 made perfect sense. She worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, A. Phillip Randolph and others, participating in almost every major civil and human rights event in the 1960's. Height worked simultaneously for all three organizations, retiring from the YWCA in 1977 and from the NCNW in 1998. Perhaps her most important work was as president of the NCNW, where she led a crusade for justice for black women and worked to strengthen the black family. She developed several national and community-based programs, placing special emphasis on drawing young people in, and established the Bethune Museum and Archives for Black Women, the first institution devoted to black women's history. "Black women," says Height, "are the backbone of every institution." She has received innumerable awards for her tireless efforts, including the Citizens Medal Award from
President Ronald Reagan in 1989 and the
Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1994. In continuing the NCNW's mission "to advance opportunities and the quality of life for African-American women, their families, and communities, " Dorothy Height has provided a critical voice in articulating the needs and aspirations of women of African descent around the world.
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