Mme. Katherine Dunham, (1909 – 2006) was one of our nation’s greatest dancer-choreographers and social justice activists. As a scholar (anthropologist) and artist, Mme. Dunham pioneered a lexicon of Afro-Caribbean dance forms which remains very influential in contemporary modern dance. Hers was among the first American modern dance companies to perform internationally and was responsible for challenging discriminatory laws in the southern United States and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dunham developed an innovative school of the arts and humanities in Harlem, NY. She also organized protests on behalf of democracy and sovereignty in Haiti and helped establish important cultural programs in East St. Louis, Illinois, where she made her home.