Dorothy Height Gets out Votes

By Amy Lee Wrill•n for The Christilln Sci,11c, Monitor New York cation. She then moved to "Votes for Rights." New York to become a stu dent at New York University. That is the name given to Religious motives were a the voter registration drive strong influence in her choice and from now until Nov. 3 of a lifework. Her parents the vote-getting-out drive - had been active church workers and she herself was of the National Council of chosen as one of the youth Negro Women and New York delegates-the only Negro in radio station WMCA. the group-to the first ecu Spot announcements and menical council of Protestant editorials broadcast daily churches, known as the Uni form the front line of the versal Christian Council, drive. , held in Oxford, England, in Behind this front line are 1937. volunteers - about 130 - re Though at one time con cruited by the council from sidering a career in church its various cooperating work or medicine, Miss groups to answer phones in Height finally chose a special a special room provided by area of education: work the station. with women's groups. Long Under the over-all direc associated with the YWCA tion of Dorothy I. Height, she at one time served as a NCNW president, the volun teacher at the YWCA School teers' most useful tool is a of Social Work at Delhi book from the Board of Elec University in India, As train tions, listing every address ing director for the national in New York City. board ot the YWCA she is "Usually people trying to primarily concerned at pres find out where to register and ent with the work of inte vote are told to ask a police grating the Y's branches. man," Miss Height said. "But a policeman is about the last A Joint Goal person that members of mi nority groups want to ap "Education about the Ne proach." gro must reach that great Mrs. Jane Buchenholtz, segment of whites who mean consultant for the drive, was well," Miss Height said, a coordinator of the vast re goal shared by both the search assembled for use by YWCA and the National the volunteers. Council of Negro Women, "We have had a few in which she has served as sulting calls questioning our president since 1958. purpose, but the overwhelm "In the council's educa ing majority have been peo tional program we are not ple genuinely grateful and concerned with bigots," she happy to have their questions stated, "but with all those answered," Mrs. Buchenholtz who really do not care one said. way or the other." How to break through that Wife's Dilemma wall of indifference is per "There was the young wife haps the major challenge she of a soldier from New York and the council face. who thought she couldn't During the past summer, vote because she had mar Miss Height took part in the ried him in Texas. But we project knoy.,n as "Wednes were able to tell her that as days in Mississippi," involv his wife she was eligible to ing visits to Mississippi by vote in New York. You should teams of Negro and white have heard the happy reac women from cities in the tion at the other end of the East, Midwest. and West. wire." "We would leave Tuesday, "The council plans to issue spend Wednesday in Missis a manual with complete in sippi, and return home formation about this voting Thursday," Miss Height said. information service so that "We visited Freedom Schools, groups in other parts of the and talked with groups of country may use it," Miss both races eager to open Height told us. channels of communication The National Council of and to create a better situa Negro Women is accustomed. tion in the state and a better to co-operative action. It was image of the state in the eyes founded in 1935 by the of the country and the Negro educator and leader, world." Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, She spoke of these people to unite the efforts of various as "the silent ones who want women's groups and make to improve things. but don't their work more effective. or can't speak out." Born irt Richmond, Va., Asked if there were sub Miss Height moved in her stantial numbers of these early years to Pennsylvania silent ones, people of genu where she receive her ele ine J!:OOd will, she said, "More mentary and high school edu- than you would dream of."