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EPISODE #026 Big Shoes To Fill: The Legacies Of Dr. Dorothy Height and Sarah Ann Shaw
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As we end our salute to Women's History Month, there are big shoes to fill when the conversation turns to two great Americans. One was a national icon who sat at the table with the great civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The other was a local/regional hero, the first African-American hired as a news reporter for WBZ TV here in Boston. Regardless of their popularity on the national stage, their effectiveness is far-reaching and has had social and economic implications for many years.
Dr. Dorothy Height was a trailblazing pioneer whose determination to champion the cause of Black and Brown communities was light years ahead of those who wanted gradual progress. Dr. Height was born in 1912 in Richmond, Virginia, and lived a robust 98 years until her passing in 2010. I knew her as the National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and as my sorority sister. I had the pleasure of meeting her on several occasions and always admired her outrageously beautiful hats.
Sarah-Ann Shaw was a fiercely proud and feisty woman of action. Her role in Boston civil rights activities led her to become the first African-American reporter and journalist for WBZ TV, where she served for 31 years from 1969 to 2000. Everyone knew and loved Sarah Ann. You knew that when she reported on the news stories, it would be fair and accurate. She even deliberated on joining the television station because she never wanted to compromise her integrity. That's what we all loved about her.
Sarah Ann passed away on March 21, 2024 at the age of 90. Her daughter Klare and their family will hold a memorial service for Sarah-Ann on April 27, 2024, at my church, Bethel AME, in Boston.
In preparing for this broadcast I talked to Klare and she reminded me that her mother admired the work I was doing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. I was deeply humbled just to hear those comments. Her legacy was so widespread that a friend and colleague of mine in the United Kingdom read about her in her local newspaper and wanted to know more.
The late and great Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm said, "Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth." We can all now say that the rent has been paid in full for Dr. Dorothy Height and Sarah-Ann Shaw. May they both rest in power as they continue to inspire us with their earthly actions and deeds.
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SARAH-ANN SHAW
Bay State Banner:
https://baystatebanner.com/2024/03/27/sarah-ann-shaw-the-passing-of-a-boston-news-pioneer/
Davis Funeral Home
https://www.davisofboston.com/obituary/Sarah-Ann-Shaw
Boston Globe
History Makers
https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/sarah-ann-shaw-41
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DR. DOROTHY HEIGHT
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Height
History Makers
https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/dorothy-height-39
National Park Service
https://www.nps.gov/mamc/learn/historyculture/dorothy-irene-height.htm
Biography
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