Black Voices in Education: Mary McLeod Bethune
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In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth, we are continuing our Black Voices in Education Series, celebrating educators of color who worked to advance educational and racial equity in the U.S.
Today, we highlight Mary McLeod Bethune, one of the most important educators, civil and women's rights leaders, and government officials of the 20th century. Mary was born in 1875 in South Carolina to former slaves, and at the age of ten, became the first child in her family to attend school. After studying in North Carolina and Chicago to become a missionary, a lack of openings led Mary to return to the south to teach. In October of 1904, after relocating to Florida, Mary founded the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls with five students and $2.00.
She served as the school's President, and remained in that position until 1942 as the school grew into a college and eventually Bethune-Cookman University.
While she worked to build her school, Mary was an active champion of civil and women's rights. As President of the State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, she organized the group to fight against school segregation and inadequate healthcare for black children. Mary also later served as President of the prestigious National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, and founded the National Council of Negro Women. In 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Mary as a special advisor on minority affairs. In 1937, Mary organized a conference on the Problems of the Negro and Negro Youth, and fought to end discrimination and lynching. In 1940, she became Vice President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP), and helped represent the group at the 1945 conference on the founding of the United Nations. Learn more about Mary here.
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