League mourns passing of civil rights leader Dorothy Height

LEAGUE MOURNS PASSING OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER DOROTHY HEIGHT
Voting Rights Heroine Impacted Generations

Washington, DC – The League of Women Voters of the United States today joined Americans across this country in mourning the passing of Dorothy Height, a longtime leader of the nation’s civil rights movement and Chairwoman of the National Council of Negro Women.

“Today our country lost a true heroine with the passing of Dorothy Height,” said Mary G. Wilson, national President of the League of Women Voters. “Ms. Height was an inspiration to many.  Her pioneering work for racial and gender equality spanned six decades and impacted the lives of millions of Americans.”

“Ms. Height’s contributions to the fight for voting rights in the 1950s and 1960s were pivotal to passage of the Voting Rights Act,” Wilson stated. “Likewise, passage of the Equal Pay Act in 1963 would not have been possible were it not for the strength, dedication and leadership of Dorothy Height.  The League has been honored to work with Ms. Height in her role as Chair of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.”

“Ms. Height was a role model for many Americans, never stopping in her quest for a better life for all in this nation.  Her legacy will live on for generations to come,” concluded Wilson.

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The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.