Katherine Dunham (1909–2006) was an anthropologist, ethnologue, choreographer, dancer, creator of the Dunham Technique, author, scholar, activist and humanist. She revolutionized American dance in the 1930s by going to the roots of black dance and rituals transforming them into significant artistic choreography that speaks to all. She was a pioneer in the use of folk and ethnic choreography and one of the founders of the anthropological dance movement. She showed the world that African American heritage is beautiful. She completed ground