Mary McLeod Bethune


(1875-1955)
Cotton Picker, Educator, White House Advisor
Mary McLeod Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina on July 10,1875. She was born into slavery. Growing up she attended a mission school, a seminary school and the Moody Bible Institute. Mary Bethune was an African American educator. She worked on improving educational opportunites for blacks in America and rights of afro-American women. Because of her persistance she opened a school for black girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. It later became a co-educational college in 1923 and nowcalled Bethune-Cookman College. She served as it's president until 1924.
During 1924-1928, Mary Bethune was president of the NACW. Later in135 she recieved the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP and founded the National Council of Negro Women. A year later Franklin D.Roosevelt appointed her director of Negro Affairs Divison of the National Youth Administration. She became a familiar figure at the White House a sRoosevelt came to demand her wisdom and insight. Mary Bethune later died on May 18,1955.
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