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Height, one of the most significant, but unsung Civil Rights leaders and Chair Emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, worked tirelessly for equality for blacks, women – both white and black - farmers, and poor families, as well as helped desegregate the YWCA, among other accomplishments.
She was known for her regal hats and dignified persistence; she met with President Obama over a dozen times before she passed away this past April at age 98. She had the opportunity to talk with him about the landmark health care reform bill. President Obama delivered the eulogy and wept openly at her funeral.
Height was snubbed by Barnard College, where she gained entrance but was refused admission because they only allowed two black students per year. She graduated from New York University and would go on to advise presidents from Eisenhower to Obama on issues of equality.
At her eulogy President Obama said, "Dr. Dorothy Height deserves a place in this pantheon," referring to leaders whose legacies are taught tirelessly in schools. "She, too, deserves a place in our history books. She, too, deserves a place of honor in America's memory."
