"This is the time to reflect on Dr. King's message, his courage, and what he achieved," Secretary Abraham said while addressing the audience. "Dr. King's life and legacy demand that we recognize that although we may have differences, we are all bound together as Americans. It is time to look at those ways in which we, as a Nation, are better for his efforts."

In an eloquent address delivered by Dr. Height, she chronicled the civil rights movement and her association with Dr. King, whom she first met at age 15 after he entered Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Height began by saying that, "this is a time to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and that the struggle is not yet completed." She reminded the audience, "... that the significance of the civil rights movement was freedom, and that we need to be concerned with the minority as well as the majority."Throughout her speech, Dr. Height consistently stressed the significance of eliminating racism and sexism that permeates our society; that we need to build a beloved community; and that respect and honor should be placed above all.

At the conclusion of Dr. Height's speech, she was presented the Department of Energy's Special Recognition Award by Secretary Abraham.

Dr. Height's career began in the 1930s, with the YWCA and the New York Welfare Department, dealing with the Harlem riots of 1935. At that time, she was noticed as an advocate for civil rights. During a meeting with Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Height was noticed by Mary McLeod Bethune, who recruited her to work on the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). For several decades Dr. Height worked for both the YWCA and NCNW. From 1957 until 1998, Dr. Height led the crusade for justice for Black women, serving as president of the NCNW. In 1965, Dr. Height became the director of the Center for Racial Justice, and was intensely involved in the civil rights battles of the 1960s.

Dr. Height has traveled and taught extensively, and is the recipient of numerous awards including induction in the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was presented to Dr. Height in 1994 by President Bill Clinton.

Secretary Abraham reaffirmed the principles of the department's Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Policy and pledged his full support toward implementing that agenda to include diversity and equal employment opportunity throughout the department, including DOE's contractor workforce.

The commemorative program, an annual event in the Special Emphasis Program events series, was held at the Energy Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Secretary Abraham's full remarks are available at http://www.energy.gov.

Media Contact:  Jacqueline Johnson, 202/586-5806