Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/2036

 PUBLIC LAW 108–162—DEC. 6, 2003

117 STAT. 2017

Public Law 108–162 108th Congress An Act 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.

Dec. 6, 2003 [H.R. 1821] 31 USC 5111 note.

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.

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