On October 15, the House approved, by voice vote, a bill (H.R. 1821) to award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Dorothy Height, a social and civil rights activist and Chair and past President of the National Council of Negro Women.
Sponsored by Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA), H.R. 1821 would authorize Congress to present Dr. Dorothy Height with a congressional gold medal in recognition of her many contributions to the nation.
Rep. Peter King (R-NY) stated that Dorothy Height “has been one of the most influential leaders in the 20th century, and even now in the 21st century, fighting for racial and gender equality. Dedicating her entire life to breaking down the immense barriers that divide race and class, Ms. Height stands side by side with other civil rights heroes such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.”
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) agreed. “You can see that she believes in women’s rights, and she acts upon women’s rights. She believes in the empowerment of minorities, and she acts upon the empowerment of minorities. She is what has been called a glorious and wonderful champion of the great leadership that we need and hope to have in the United States of America.”
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has introduced a comparable bill (S. 1266) in the Senate.
