April 20, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E811 HONORING FORMER MINNESOTA DOROTHY IRENE HEIGHT, CHAIR rise above the limitations of race and sex. She GOVERNOR HAROLD E. STASSEN AND PRESIDENT EMERITA, NA- rose quickly through the ranks of the YWCA, TIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO from working at the Emma Ransom House in HON. JIM RAMSTAD WOMEN Harlem to the Executive Directorship of the OF MINNESOTA Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington, DC, to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE the YWCA National Headquarters office. For 33 years, from 1944 through 1977, OF TEXAS Friday, April 20, 2007 Dorothy Height served on the staff of the Na- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. RAMSTAD. Madam Speaker, April 13, tional Board of the YWCA and held several 2007, marked the 100th anniversary of the Friday, April 20, 2007 leadership positions in public affairs and lead- birth of former Minnesota Governor Harold E. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam ership training and as Director of the National Stassen. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a national YWCA School for Professional Workers. In I rise to pay tribute to the life of this remark- treasure and American icon on the occasion of 1965, she was named Director of the Center able Minnesotan and true patriot, who dedi- her 95th birthday. I am speaking, of course, of for Racial Justice, a position she held until her cated his life to serving our country. the incomparable, irrepressible, and legendary retirement. Born on a farm in West St. Paul, Minnesota, Dorothy Irene Height. For more than half a In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in , Harold Stassen graduated from law school century, Dorothy Irene Height has played a where she worked as a visiting professor in and earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in leading role in the never ending struggle for the Delhi School of Social Work at the Univer- the ROTC by the age of 21. At just 22, he was equality and human rights here at home and sity of Delhi, which was founded by the elected Dakota County attorney, a position he around the world. Her life exemplifies her pas- of India, Burma and Ceylon. She held for 9 years. sionate commitment for a just society and her would become renowned for her internation- In 1938, Harold Stassen was elected Gov- vision of a better world. alism and humanitarianism. She traveled ernor of Minnesota, taking office at the age of Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, VA, around the world expanding the work of the 31. He was the youngest person ever elected on 24, 1912, and educated in the public YWCA. She conducted a well-received study governor of any state, a distinction that lasts schools of Rankin, PA, a borough of Pitts- of the training of women’s organizations in five to this day. During his tenure, Harold Stassen burgh, where her family moved when she was African countries: Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Si- was a visionary and creative leader. four. She established herself early as a dedi- erra Leone, and Nigeria under the Committee In his 1942 campaign for reelection, Gov- cated student with exceptional oratorical skills. of Correspondence. ernor Stassen said that if he was reelected, he After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a na- Dorothy Height loved and led her sorority, would resign after the legislative session to tional oratorical contest on the . She was elected National join the U.S. Navy, saying, ‘‘Our boys are Constitution, sponsored by the Fraternal Order President of the sorority in 1947 and served in fighting for the right of freedom, and I want to of the Elks, and compiling a distinguished aca- that capacity until 1956. She led the sorority to be with them.’’ demic record, she enrolled in New York Uni- a new level of organizational development, ini- As promised, following the 1943 legislative versity where she earned both her bachelor tiation eligibility, and social action throughout her term. Her leadership training skills, social session he resigned as governor and joined and master’s degrees in just 4 years. She work background and knowledge of vol- the U.S. Navy on the Battleship USS Missouri continued her postgraduate studies at Colum- unteerism benefited the sorority as it moved in the Third Pacific Fleet. He was awarded bia University and the New York School of So- into a new era of activism on the national and three battle stars, led the Navy’s POW evacu- cial Work. international scene. ation program in Japan and was on duty on In 1933, Dorothy Height joined the United In 1957, Dorothy Height was elected the the main deck of the Missouri when the mes- Christian Youth Movement of North America fourth National President of NCNW and sage came that the Japanese had surren- where her leadership qualities earned her the served in that position for 40 years, when she dered. In fact, he entered the receipt of that trust and confidence of her peers. It was dur- became Chair of the Board and President historic message in the USS Missouri’s log ing this period that she began to emerge as Emerita. book. an effective civil rights advocate as she In 1960, Dorothy Height was the woman In February of 1945, President Roosevelt worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the team member leader in the United Civil Rights named Harold Stassen as one of eight mem- armed forces, reform the criminal justice sys- Leadership along with Martin Luther King, Jr., bers of the American delegation to the Found- tem, and provide free access to public accom- Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James ing Conference of the United Nations in San modations. In 1935, Dorothy Height was ap- Farmer, and . In 1961, Francisco, where he was later named one of pointed by New York government officials to while Dorothy Height was participating in the two most influential people in drafting the deal with the aftermath of the Harlem riot of major Civil Rights leadership, she led NCNW United Nations Charter. 1935. to deal with unmet needs among women and Stassen later played a key role in con- As Vice President of the United Christian their families to combat hunger, develop coop- vincing Dwight D. Eisenhower to run for the Youth Movement of North America, Dorothy erative pig banks, and provided families with Republican nomination for President. Upon his Height was one of only ten American youth community freezers and showers. election, Eisenhower appointed Stassen Direc- delegates to the 1937 World Conference on In 1964, after the passage of the Civil tor of Mutual Security, which carried a Cabinet Life and Work of the Churches held in Oxford, Rights Act, Dorothy Height with Polly Cowan, rank and included all foreign operations, for- England. Two years later she was selected to an NCNW Board Member, organized teams of eign aid, relief, military and assistance pro- represent the YWCA at the World Conference women of different races and faiths as grams, distribution of arms and technical and of Christian Youth in Amsterdam, Holland. ‘‘Wednesdays in Mississippi’’ to assist in the educational assistance. It was in 1937, while serving as Assistant and open communication be- As a member of President Eisenhower’s Executive Director of the Harlem YWCA, that tween women of different races. The work- Cabinet, Stassen was also active in imple- Dorothy Height met Mary McLeod Bethune, shops which followed stressed the need for menting the 1955 Geneva Summit, for which founder and president of the National Council decent housing which became the basis for he drafted the Arms Limitation and ‘‘Open of Negro Women (NCNW). Mrs. Bethune was NCNW in partnership with the Department of Skies’’ proposals initiated by GEN James Doo- immediately impressed with young Dorothy Housing and Urban Development to develop little and presented by President Eisenhower Height’s poise and intelligence and invited her Turnkey III Home Ownership for low-income at the summit. Having experienced first-hand to join the NCNW and assist in the quest for families in Gulfport, MS. the horror of war, Stassen spent the remain- women’s rights to full and equal employment, In 1970, Dorothy Height directed the series der of his political and public life working for pay and education. of activities culminating in the YWCA Conven- world peace. In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten tion adopting as its ‘‘One Imperative’’ to the Harold E. Stassen dedicated his life to serv- young Americans invited by elimination of racism. That same year she also ing our country, both in the armed forces and to Hyde Park, NY, to help plan and prepare established the Women’s Center for Education as a public servant and elected official. The for the World Youth Conference to be held at and Career Advancement in New York City to country is grateful for his meritorious contribu- Vassar College. prepare women for entry-level jobs. This expe- tion to the security and national interests of For the next several years, Dorothy Height rience led her in 1975 to collaborate with Pace the United States and his long legacy of public served in a dual role: as a YWCA staff mem- College to establish a course of study leading service. He died 40 days short of turning 95, ber and NCNW volunteer, integrating her train- to the Associate Degree for Professional Stud- on March 4, 2002. ing as a social worker and her commitment to ies (AAPS).

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