“Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.”
–  Mary McLeod Bethune

 

Black History Month is a wonderful time to share stories of iconic African-American leaders who made an impact on the world.

This month, Bambinou Academy Center shines a spotlight on Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator, philanthropist, presidential advisor and fierce advocate for civil rights. We hope her story will inspire your little ones and demonstrate the power of education, perseverance and community.

Mary McLeod Bethune was born in 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina to Sam and Patsy Bethune, who were formerly enslaved. She was one of seventeen children and the first in her family to attend school.

As a child, Mary was a keen observer of the world around her. She noticed that the Black community had less access to wealth and opportunity. While visiting the home of the family where her mother worked, Mary learned a painful lesson about racism and inequality. She picked up a book, and one of the girls said, “Put down that book; you can’t read.” Mary later said that incident led to her deep desire for literacy and education.

Mary married Albertus Bethune in 1898, and they had a son named Albert McLeod Bethune. The family moved to Florida in 1899, and Mary ran a mission school and began an outreach to prisoners.

Mary believed education gave children confidence, independence, and opportunity. Her life’s mission was to become a teacher and shape the minds of young Black children. In 1904, with only $1.50 in her pocket, she opened the Daytona Educational and Industrial School for Negro Girls in Florida. Although Mary didn’t have a lot of money, she was enterprising and inventive. She made benches and desks from discarded crates. Her students made ink for pens from elderberry juice and pencils from burned wood. After two years of operation, 250 girls were enrolled at her school, which eventually grew into Bethune-Cookman University.

In 1924, Mary became president of the National Association of Colored Women. At that time, it was the highest national office a Black woman could hold.  She also founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 to support and empower women and families.

Her leadership and wisdom caught the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1936, he appointed her director of African American affairs in the National Youth Administration and a special adviser on minority affairs. Mary became one of the highest-ranking African-American women in government at the time and advised the president on issues affecting children and families.

Mary McLeod Bethune was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Rollins College in 1949. This prestigious recognition was the first honorary degree bestowed upon an African American by a Southern institution of higher education.

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune rose from poverty to become an extraordinary educator who always reached back to help others rise. In 1974, she became the first Black leader and the first woman to have a monument, the Bethune Memorial Statue, erected on public park land in Washington, DC in honor of her remarkable contributions.

This Black History Month, we celebrate not only the significant accomplishments of Dr. Bethune, but her tenacious spirit and her desire to see all children succeed. We hope you share her story with your little ones and are inspired by her lifelong commitment to learning.