U.S. Census Bureau Black History Month Feature for February 19

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily Black History Month feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19: DORIS JONES

Profile America for the 19th day of Black History Month.  Doris Jones was once described by a dance critic as "a national treasure."  Growing up near Boston, Jones found that the Depression was a tough time for a teenaged African-American to get formal dance training.  The solution was to found her own school of dance.  Moving to Washington, D.C. in 1940, Jones became a fixture on the dance scene in the nation's capitol for more than 50 years, training several generations of top flight dancers such as Chita Rivera and Hinton Battle.  Her efforts to open careers in dance for young African-Americans won her many awards, including the Martin Luther King Jr. medal for Outstanding Service in Human Rights.  More than 10 million Americans attend at least one dance performance each year.  This special edition of Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.  

Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1203

www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/arts/dance/04jones.html

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  For further information, contact Rick Reed:  301-763-2812; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: rreed-at-census.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau