On April 28, 1967, Mrs. Dorothy I. Height—then known formally as Mrs. Robert W. Claytor—was elected as the first Black president of the national Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in its more than 100-year history. A lifelong advocate for civil rights and gender equity, Height used her platform to confront racism within the organization and the broader society. Her election marked a transformative moment for the YWCA, aligning it more firmly with the growing civil rights movement and amplifying its mission to serve women of all backgrounds.
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