Born in Richmond, Virginia March 24, 1912, Dorothy Irene Height provided leadership for nearly half a century, in the struggle for equality and human rights for all people. Her life exemplifies her passionate commitment for a just society and her vision of a better world.
Educated in public schools in Rankin, Pa, a borough of Pittsburgh, where her family moved when she was four, Height established herself early as a dedicated student with exceptional oratorical skills. After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a national oratorical contest on the United States Constitution, sponsored by the Elks, and a record of scholastic excellence, she attended New York University and earned her bachelor and master’s degrees in four years. She did postgraduate work at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work.