Mary McLeod Bethune
 |
1875-1955
Educator
Birthplace: Mayesville, SC
Graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, 1895 |
The 17th child of former slaves, Mary McLeod Bethune taught in a series of southern
mission schools (1895–1903) before settling in Florida to found the Daytona
Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls (1904). From 1904 to 1942,
and again from 1946 to 1947, she served as president of the institute, which,
after merging with Cookman Institute (1923), became Bethune-Cookman College.
A leader in the American black community, she founded the National Council
of Negro Women (1935) and was director of Negro Affairs of the National
Youth Administration from 1936 to 1944. In addition, she served as special
adviser on minority affairs to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At the
1945 conference that organized the United Nations, she was a consultant
on interracial understanding.
Web Resources
Mary Mcleod Bethune Council House
National Park Service site about the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. Find travel information, facility information, and more.
http://www.nps.gov/mamc/
United States
