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Open Wide The Freedom Gates: A Memoir

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Dorothy Height carries the strength of granite and a backbone resolute with meaningful purpose. Growing up in suburban Pittsburgh, Height, now 91 and still busily at work, saw discrimination and never flinched, determined to meet adversity with an agile brain, a strong body, and an indomitable will.

As a high school girl she won an impromptu speech competition at the county level, then was forced to confront the ugly tentacles of segregation when she sought to find a place to stay as she competed in the finals in the Pennsylvania capital of Harrisburg. She learned that she was the only African-American in the competition. When she sought a drink of water prior to her speech, it was the only other person of color in the building, an African-American janitor, who escorted her to the drinking fountain. Height won the competition by tying her speech theme, the Kellogg-Briand Peace Treaty, to efforts of the black race to overcome adversity. She explained to an enthralled audience that, just as peace can only be accomplished through purposeful unity, such is also the case with respect to the races. Height won that competition.

After achieving straight A's at New York University, Height went to work for the YWCA in Manhattan. This was the beginning of a stellar career that took her to the pinnacle of African-American leadership in the women's movement, and ultimately led to a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Citizenship Award conferred on her by President Ronald Reagan in 1989. Height refers to two strong women of principle and achievement who served as role model beacons for the bright and enterprising young woman. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt was someone she would admire and come to know well. Her other major influence was the daughter of slaves, the remarkable Mary McCleod Bethune, who would overcome a painful asthma condition to become a leading achiever for women of all races, and who founded a college, Bethune-Cookman in Daytona Beach, Florida.

As a professor at Moorehouse College in Atlanta in 1945, Height met and taught a remarkable 14-year-old as part of the school's gifted student program. She saw the promise in young Martin Luther King and was by his side at the 1963 March on Washington organized by prominent labor leader A. Philip Randolph, the president of the sleeping car porters' union,with whose vision for racial progress she synchronized.

In terms of the present, Height sees the Democratic Party as taking African-Americans for granted and Republicans of being neglectful of their needs and aspirations except when it serves their purposes to be attentive. All the same, rather than lament conditions, she remains the eternal pragmatist. She realizes that the road to progress can be best realized in the way that the great A. Philip Randolph outlined, by uniting and working diligently to achieve purposeful goals, by lighting candles rather than cursing darkness.

If you'd like to gain an appreciation for a female perspective of the civil rights movement, this is a book for you. I was born in 1957 and came of age during a time when the equal rights struggle for all Americans came to the fore---people of color, gays & lesbians, female--were trying to gain a voice in society. Ms. Height speaks plainly of her involvement in projects that brought about fundamental changes in society. She relates her stories about change as it really happens: one person at a time, one family at a time, one small community at a time. Read and learn !

Open Wide The Freedom Gates: A Memoir

This is certainly the most exciting book that I use with my university students!

Without fail Ms. Dorothy Irene Height's life story energizes them to become social activists on the campus.

Her courage, determination, and positive attitude in the face racism and discrimination of many types emboldens my students to confront and uproot the same on the campus.

My students consider Ms. Height a "TRUE AMERICAN HERO." She is a role model, mentor, and "friend" to them.

I highly and unreservedly recommend this book to every person living and breathing. Undoubtedly, as you read her story, you will realize that she has done much to secure the freedom and liberty of people all around the world!

Yolanda Lehman
Adjunct Professor
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, MN

A leader of profound courage & excellence is explained by her own words and features her lifelong attention to human dignity. You can't miss this window into the Civil Rights struggle of the century.

Dorothy Height's accounts in this book are nothing short of massive inspiration and how to peacefully create social change and equality during the Civil Rights movement.

Her focus on creating new ways to reach people, pull together and band with others who also want to see equal rights in the most positive manner spans decades of tireless service.

I grew up and personally witnessed the "race riots" happening in public schools in the 1960's and vividly remember the unfair treatment of men and women of color, as well as how difficult it was during this era for people to move forward in the face of massive racial, sexual and gender stereotype.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Height's service. This book would make for excellent reading in schools to serve as an inspiration of what can be done, even when it seems impossible.

Deserves 10 stars as a memoir for leadership, inspiration, determination and the courage to make a lasting difference in America.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. author of Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE and Know Yourself: A Woman's Guide to Wholeness, Radiance & Supreme Confidence

This book was fascinating, full of events that occurred in a time I lived through but never was aware of. It is like Dorothy Height was there behind the scenes connecting the dots of events and interweaving the people who were in the headlines. She has the gift of knowing the importance of bringing people of all kinds together and the skill to accomplish it. She never gave up when she was told not to do something because that is not how things have always been done or it is too risky.

I learned the term "Cotton Curtain"and about the bravery of a group of black and white women who conceived of and carried out the Wednesdays in Mississippi Project in 1964. "The specific goals of the project were to establish lines of communication among women of goodwill across regional and racial lines, to observe the COFO student projects and discuss them with local Mississippi women, and to lend a "ministry of presence" as witnesses to encourage compassion and reconciliation."

In talking with Fannie Lou Hamer, and knowing of the Heifer Project, Dorothy Height thought of the idea of setting up a pig bank in Mississippi. That idea was turned into a program with the advice of an Iowa farmer and the assistance of the Prentiss Institute. The National Council of Negro Women purchased 45 pigs. "Participating families were trained to care for pigs, to establish cooperatives, and to work together to improve the community's nutrition and health. Each participating family signed a "pig agreement", promising not to sell the pigs and to bring back two piglets from each litter to deposit in the bank."

Dorothy Height has never stopped working on the problem of racism. "Our young people ask why we have to keep trying to solve the problem of racism. Other people move on to other problems, but if you're black, you don't have that option. Your options are clear and limited:you either give up and go into drugs, or you work on racism for the rest of your life. In our society every setp African Americans take is seen in political terms...."

The recounting of the huge effort to buy the present home of The National Centers for African American Women at 633 Pennsylvania Avenue is inspiring and again speaks to Dorothy Height's tenacity. I am looking forward to visiting that building and the Bethune Museum and Archives to pay respect and honor for a life so well lived.

Dr. Height was a very great woman, I like many others had a chance to meet and work with her. Her book has given me so much insight and much better appreciation for who she is.

I received the book in less than 3 days and I must say it is awesome. I love Dorothy Height and her life is even more of an incentive to not just live life but also contribute.=)

I chose to read this book in honor of women's history month and it truly inspired and educated me. Ms. Height took me down history lane in this book about her involvement in various organizations. Some of the organizations she mentioned in the book I am ashamed to say I never even heard of. The writing style of the book kept me reading past midnight. After reading this book, I can truly say I know more about Ms. Height as a woman and the various organizations she was involved in.

I received my order and the quality was what I expected. I would purchase from them again if the price is right.

Open Wide The Freedom Gates: A Memoir by Dorothy Height is a must get book. I am very suprised that I like the book. Ms. Height journey is so inspiring. The people she encounter became very famous and yet she was famous but modest. I love this book.