Dorothy I. Height didn’t live to see her 100th birthday but that didn’t stop the National Council of Negro Women “(NCNW”) from celebrating it. NCNW called for a week of service in honor of Dorothy I. Height’s birthday beginning on March 17, a week in advance of her birthday.She would have turned 100 on March 24, 2012. NCNW celebrated Dr. Height’s centennial birthday at historic Shiloh Baptist Church on March 17 by calling for a week of service in the US and abroad. A special note was for women to engage in some of the following activities to honor Dr. Height:
- Visiting a shelter for the homeless or battered and abused;
- Mentor to a young girl or boy;
- Spend time with a senior citizen
- Take someone to a health professional appointment
Women are particularly encouraged to add additional service acts in the Dorothy I. Height Foundation web site and www.DorothyIHeight.org and to take photos of their service.
Dr. Height chaired the NCNW for 50 years, served in the public sector for many years in civil rights, voting rights and women’s rights. Dr. Height believed that “the role of leadership is to release that potential in all that you work with.” In her last book, Living With Purpose, written at age 97, she wrote:
“Women who have made a great contribution have done so through their service, their awareness and their determination to be contributors to the empowerment of all.”
Dr. Height’s 2nd edition of Living With Purpose is available on Kindle and through Amazon. It is a must read for all. May we all be fortunate to lead a long life filled with service.
Debbie Hines is a lawyer and legal /political commentator appearing in national and local media including CNN, the Michael Eric Dyson Show, XM Sirius radio, NBC , ABC and CBS -Washington, DC affiliates, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Black Enterprise among others. She founded LegalSpeaks, a progressive blog on women and race in law and politics. She also writes for the Huffington Post.