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Dr. Dorothy Cotton: An Unsung Hero And The Backbone Of The Civil Rights Movement

Dorothy Cotton Institute/Facebook
Dorothy Cotton

Sat. 6/23, 12p: On Women's Focus Carol Boss rebroadcasts her interview from over 10 years ago with civil rights leader Dorothy Cotton, a close associate and advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr.  She educated thousands of African-Americans about their rights and the power of organizing through the Citizenship Education Program.  Her accomplishments are a testament to the essential but often overlooked role of women in the Civil Rights Movement. She passed away on June 10 at the age of 88.

Carol also speaks with environmental activist Maya van Rossum about her book, "The Green Amendment" in which she advocates for protection of our environment as a constitutional right.  She believes we can protect everybody's right to clean water and air by passing "Green Amendments'" in the bill of rights section of every state constitution and ultimately at the federal level. She and others worked hard to successfully attain such a provision in Pennsylvania's state constitution. 

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  • Cotton was the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. She focused on empowering ordinary people to exercise their rights.