Dorothy I. Height, chair and president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women and storied civil rights activist, died Tuesday at Howard University Hospital. She was 98.
Any tears shed won’t be due to sadness, per se, as she lived a longer and more full life than most have or will. The tears shed will be in remembrance and celebration of her stature as a living sacrifice for both women and the African American race as a whole. In the ’60s, Height was the primary woman assisting Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leading activists in organizing the Civil Rights Movement.
As a woman of both style and substance, Dr. Height ran with a torch that burned brightly and captured the attention of a nation, helping to open doors that would’ve otherwise remain closed to black Americans. But will that torch now fall to the ground and burn out?
It seems that we just don’t have much of that kind of fire coming from women today. Is it because it’s not necessary or is it because women just don’t recognize the necessity? Either way, when I listen, I just don’t hear many female voices that resonate the way hers did.
Today, black women in the media seem to have more of a superficial focus (generally speaking of course) which is in stark contrast to the days when there were bigger fish to fry. Back then, whether entertainer or school teacher, it seemed that most everyone was part of “the movement” and exuded a certain degree of depth and women were not excluded. Today, it’s a little different.
There are a some in the public eye, including Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, India.Arie, etc. who are vocal about certain causes and are worth their weight in salt — but they seem to be the exception and not the rule. Your Rihannas, Nicki Minajs, Trinas, etc., just don’t seem to get it. Ladies, we still need your awe inspiring strength and resilience. We still need your profound compassion and attention to detail to continue to help us move forward in ways that matter.
I concede that nothing today can parallel the turbulent times of old that required the passion predecessors like Height operated in. But if you’re looking for a worthy cause to stand for, there are plenty. From black-on-black crime, to high school drop-out rates, to covert racism, there is something for all of you to be concerned with. Men are not off the hook in our struggle, but the moment dictates this address to women.
History has shown us just how powerful the voice of a woman can be, and I’d hate to see that perception fizzle-out, because women are allowing themselves to be objectified more and more in today’s media. You can be still sexy, as it is part of your package, but there’s so much more in your arsenal.
Ladies, examine Dr. Height’s legacy and use it as a model to be about something. –gerald radford
