BIOGRAPHY

Dorothy Burnham was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, on 22 March 1915, to parents Frederick Challoner and Aletha Dowridge. Her parents were immigrants from Barbados. She attended P.S. 11 and graduated from Girls’ High School in Brooklyn in 1932. In 1936, Burnham earned a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from Brooklyn College in New York.

After majoring in microbiology, she and her husband, Louis E. Burnham (1915–1960), moved to Birmingham, Alabama, during the Great Depression. There, they became actively involved in the civil rights movement, including their work with the Southern Negro Youth Congress (SNYC). Even after the SNYC disbanded in 1948, she remained deeply engaged in the civil rights and women’s movements of the 1950s and 1960s, participating in organizations such as Jeans and Gender.

After returning to Brooklyn from Birmingham, she pursued a career in bacteriology, researching and identifying bacteria for hospitals and developing diagnostic samples for disease identification. She later taught biology at SUNY Empire State College and Hostos Community College.

Her activism remained steadfast, as she joined the broad coalition organized by the Communist Party. She served as a delegate to the World Federation of Democratic Youth and attended its conference in Paris in 1946. She played a leading role in numerous organizations, including support groups for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Women for Economic and Racial Equality, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. She also contributed to Freedomways, a journal on African American culture and politics co-founded by her husband and published from 1961 to 1985.

She and her husband had four children. Their eldest daughter, Claudia Burnham, was followed by Margaret Burnham (born 1944), a law professor, and former judge in Massachusetts. Their daughter Linda Burnham (born 1948) is a journalist and women’s rights activist, focusing on issues affecting women of color. Their son, Charles Burnham (born 1950), is a violinist.

In 2011, Burnham received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Better World Awards, presented by the New York Friends of People’s World, in recognition of her contributions to the fight for quality public education. She was also honored as a Brooklyn Renaissance Woman, and her lifelong achievements were acknowledged by New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery during the reading of a Senate resolution. In 2012, she was awarded the Heritage Award by the State University of New York Empire State College.

She credited her longevity to good health and a nutritious diet, avoiding sugar and junk food entirely. Regular walks also played a key role in extending her life, as she made a habit of walking consistently.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Eli Logan, and validated by LongeviQuest on 28 March 2025.

ATTRIBUTION

* Dorothy Burnham – The HistoryMakers

* “The remarkable Dorothy Burnham” – The Martha’s Vineyard Times, 28 July 2022

* “A Passion for Making Art Continues At 108 Years Old” – The Vineyard Gazette, 28 July 2023

* “A civil rights activist turns 110 in Boston and reflects on a life of love, service, and education” – The Boston Globe, 22 March 2025

GALLERY