1. Mary Mcleod Bethune

2. Mary McLeod Bethune
Born July 10, 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina

3. Early Life
15th child born to parents, former slaves, Patsy and Samuel McLeod
Mary was the first child in her family to be born into freedom
Born with her eyes open
Mary grew up on a farm called a homestead where she tended the vegetable garden and also picked cotton.
One day while playing she spotted a book, but was told to put it down because African Americans should not read. From then on she had the desire to learn to read.

4. Student
A teacher was wanting to teach African American students and she chose Mary
Walked 5 miles to school
She learned reading, writing, and arithmetic
Mary helped her family members who did not know how to read
She read the Bible to her grandmother
Kept track of her father’s cotton sales

5. More School Mary finished school in one year!!
She wanted to learn more but had no money to go to another school
Mary received a scholarship to attend Scotia Seminary in Concord, North Carolina
Graduated in July 1894
Went to Moody Bible College Institute in Chicago for one year-she returned home to Mayesville to become a teacher

6. Mary’s Family Mary taught at Kindell Institute in Sumter, Georgia
Met Albert Bethune and married him in 1899
They moved to Savannah, Georgia and had a son in 1899
She and her son soon moved to Florida so Mary could return to teaching

7. Dreams. . . Mary wanted to start a school
In Daytona, Florida she began a school with $1.50
The school opened in 1904 with only four students
Mary was given $250 from a man who respected her goal
With the money, she built a school called Faith Hall
Bethune College was started in 1906
In 1925 Bethune College joined with Cookman where Mary became president of the College

8. What is Mary McLeod Bethune remembered for?
She was born with her eyes open
Learning to read even though she was an African American
Started a school with $1.50 and only 4 students
Began a college for girls
Joined First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the fight to have equal rights for all