Honoring the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 655) honoring the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H. Res. 655, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham.

Born in Chicago in 1909, Katherine Dunham grew into a superbly talented dancer, choreographer, author and activist. She earned her bachelor's degree in social anthropology from the University of Chicago and went on to do extensive graduate field work in the Caribbean, eventually completing her master's degree in that discipline as well.

One of her most profound contributions was her work around the confluence of dance and anthropology. Miss Dunham believed that dance was an important vehicle for understanding another culture, and she is the author of many anthropological works and dance.

Through her visits to the Caribbean, she not only documented the African influence on the dances of the West Indies, but as an artist, she also began to develop a new type of African American dance based on rituals and other cultural events.

When Katherine returned from her travels and field work, she founded Les Ballet Negres, one of the first black ballet companies in the United States. Here she perfected the Dunham technique of dance, including new breathing and movement exercises. Some of Miss Dunham's methods are taught in dance schools today, and she was an influential figure for many years. Alvin Ailey, who we honored with a resolution last week, is one of a long list of contemporary choreographers that name Katherine Dunham as a role model.

For two decades, the Katherine Dunham Dance Company toured nearly 60 countries on six continents, performing from Broadway to the silver screen. Established in the 1940s, her company had to battle racial discrimination. The company refused to perform at segregated theaters, and Katherine used her status as a public figure to draw attention to inequity.

Her dedication did not stop there. In 1967, Miss Dunham moved to East St. Louis, Illinois and established the Performing Arts Training Center. In an attempt to counteract the poor and violent society many of the children of East St. Louis faced on a daily basis, Miss Dunham and her staff empowered their students by teaching them dance, woodcarving, photography, anthropology, and various foreign languages. Miss Dunham once described this outlet for self-expression and development by stating that ``everyone needs, if not a cultural hero, a culturally heroic society. There is nothing stronger in a man than the need to grow.''

In 2006, at the age of 96, Miss Katherine Dunham passed away, but her legacy lives on. Her countless awards pay tribute to her artistry and dedication to social justice.

And so, Mr. Speaker, once again, I honor Katherine Dunham and encourage my colleagues to pass this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it's amazing how we are always learning. I had always thought that Katherine Dunham was born in East St. Louis and that that might have been the reason that she moved her school and troupe to East St. Louis, a city that was seriously hurting because of the diversion of business and trade opportunities that ultimately went around the town as opposed to through the town. And I'm amazed to know that, no, she didn't have that kind of history with East St. Louis, but because of her tremendous desire to be relevant and to be helpful to those who could perhaps benefit the most from her talent and dedication, she moved to East St. Louis. And I'm very proud that we have on the floor this resolution honoring her life and legacy. I would urge its passage.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 655 Honoring the life of Katherine Dunham. Katherine Dunham was a woman of astounding grace and character who has altered for the better both our country and our world.

Born Katherine Mary Dunham in Chicago, Illinois on June 22, 1909, and raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Dr. Dunham was among the first black artists to form a ballet troupe and achieve renown as a modern dancer and choreographer on Broadway and in Hollywood. Dr. Dunham passed away in May of 2006 and leaves behind a tremendous legacy of art, education and activism.

She has received countless honors and awards, including more than 10 honorary doctorates, the Presidential Medal of Arts, the French Legion of Honor, and the NAACP's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Dunham was responsible for exposing to mass audiences a side of black artistic expression that was rarely seen. At a time when minstrel shows with black face were still considered an acceptable form of entertainment, her work was a catalyst that made people see and understand black dance as true art that was to be respected and acclaimed.

In 1931 Dr. Dunham founded Les Ballet Negre, the first black dance company in the United States. Les Ballet Negre later became known as the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, which successfully toured over 60 countries in the 1940s.

In the years that followed, she revolutionized American dance by incorporating the roots of black dance and ritual, and by transforming these elements into choreography accessible to all through the Katherine Dunham Technique.

Dr. Dunham has truly left her mark on society as her technique is still taught today at the world renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York. Her influence in the theaters' choreography can be seen in ``Revelations'', Alvin Ailey's most famous and internationally acclaimed performance.

As a human rights activist, she spoke out publicly about the United States' position on deporting Haitian refugees. Dunham was so passionate about the matter that in 1992 she went on a 47 day hunger strike to prove her point. Harry Belafonte stressed the notion that, ``She didn't perform miracles; she performed acts of human kindness''.

In 1967 Dr. Dunham established the Performing Arts Training Center in East St. Louis, Missouri, which functioned as an educational center, children's auxiliary company, and a semi-professional dance group that would go on to tour many parts of the United States. Dr. Dunham set out to transform lives, and did so.

We must keep her memory alive in our hearts and minds so that generations after us will know who she was and what she did. One cannot speak of dance and innovation without mentioning Katherine Dunham, for she truly is a woman who moved the world. I urge you to support H. Res. 655 Honoring Katherine Dunham, civil rights activist, performance artist, and humanitarian.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 655, honoring the life and accomplishments of Katherine Dunham.

Katherine Mary Dunham was an American dancer, choreographer, songwriter, author, educator and activist who was trained as an anthropologist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers in American and European theater of the 20th century.

She formed a ballet group called Ballet Negres, the first black ballet company in the United States. Upon receipt of her degree in anthropology in 1936, she was awarded a fellowship and left for the West Indies to do field research in anthropology and dance. From this initial field work, Dunham generated her master's thesis for her degree from Northwestern University in 1947. She lectured widely and published numerous books.

During this time, Dunham also began her investigations into an expression of movement that would form the core of the Katherine Dunham technique. What Dunham gave modern dance was a combination of African and Caribbean styles of movement which she integrated with techniques of ballet and modern dance.

In the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Dunham was renowned throughout Europe and Latin America. For more than 30 years, she maintained the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the only permanent, self-subsidized American black dance troupe at that time, and over her long career she choreographed more than 90 individual dances. Dunham's works have been performed on Broadway and on film, and have left an indelible mark on modern dance.

Today, we honor the life of Katherine Dunham and her contribution to the arts and to the world. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 655, a resolution honoring

the life of an innovative and influential artist and civil rights leader of the 20th century, Ms. Katherine Dunham. Ms. Dunham has left a remarkable legacy behind, from her ground breaking work in studying dance and anthropology to becoming an internationally recognized dancer. While her renowned dancing and choreography entertained people around the world, she always kept in mind the plight of the less fortunate and was strongly committed on issues of social justice. In just one example, at the age of 82, she held a 47-day hunger strike to bring attention to the situation of Haitian refugees.

In addition, I would like to point out the strong connection she had to the community where she lived part of her life, East St. Louis, IL, which lies in my congressional district. Her contributions to the community are immeasurable. She established the Performing Arts Training Center and the Katherine Dunham Museum and Children's Workshop in the city to help revitalize the are and also founded a dance anthropology program at Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville. It was my great pleasure to introduce a bill that became law during the 109th Congress to name a post office after Katherine Dunham within East St. Louis.

Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor this compassionate and gifted individual who contributed so much to her community and our Nation and I ask the House to join me in paying respect to an honored American, Katherine Dunham, by supporting H. Res. 655.