Dorothy Height quotes provide a fascinating insight into the life of this great activist. She is known for her activism in the Civil Rights Movement and for her work as a leader of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).

Born in Richmond, Virginia on March 24, 1912, Height excelled as a student and received a scholarship to attend Barnard College. But she was rejected due to the school’s quota for Black students, so she went to New York University instead.

Later, she joined the YWCA in Harlem and worked there as a social worker. When she met educator Mary McLeod Bethune, who founded the NCNW, at a meeting of the YWCA in 1937, she became a volunteer for the organization.

The NCNW developed model community-based programs, sent scores of women to work in the Freedom Schools of the Civil Rights Movement, and conducted voter education drives. The NCNW also sponsored the Black Family Reunion Celebration, which continues to this day as a way to honor African American traditions and values.

Height was a steadfast presence in the Civil Rights Movement and regularly sat down with leaders, including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson to discuss political issues and give them advice. She was also responsible for assisting with the organization of Wednesdays in Mississippi, which brought together black and white women from the North and South to create a dialogue of understanding.