Mary McLeod Bethune

 Born in 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina to former slaves.  Wanted to learn to read, but there were no schools for African American children.  Emma Wilson came to town and started a school for African American children.  Mary taught the rest of her friends and family to read using the newspaper and the Bible.

 Went to high school at Scotia Seminary.  Worked with the rest of the students to take care of the school – scrubbed floors, laundry, bake bread  Graduated and went to Chicago, Illinois to study religion.  Wanted to become a missionary to Africa, but wasn’t allowed to go because she was an African American.

 Began teaching at the Haines Institute in Augusta, GA.  Opened her own school for African American girls in Dayton, Florida.  The school was very popular and eventually became a college.

 Became active in many civic clubs.  She fought against segregation when white and black women couldn’t sit together at the club meetings.  Her main focus was always to improve the education for African Americans.

 Moved to Washington, D.C. to help President Franklin D. Roosevelt with the National Youth Administration – help African American youth get jobs during the Great Depression  Worked with other organizations such as National Council of Negro Women to help African American women gain equal rights

 Bethune-Cookman College is still around today – Less than 500 students in 1907, over 2,500 students by 2003  Bethune has a statue in her honor in Washington, D.C.  She was pictured on a postage stamp.

 Demonstrated diligence throughout her entire life by working hard to get an education and making sure that those she cared about had one too.  Showed respect for authority by going to Washington, D.C. when President Roosevelt asked her to.  Worked for justice by fighting for equal rights for African Americans and women.