Investing In the Human Soul
Who is Mary Jane McLeod Bethune?
Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, one of the first few women in the world to serve as a college president, founder of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and civil rights activist. She was the fifteenth of seventeen children, born to Sam and Patsy McIntosh – both former slaves.
One day Bethune picked up a book and a white child snatched it away from her, telling her that she didn’t know how to read. According to Wikipedia, Bethune then decided that the only difference between white and colored people was the ability to read and write. Inspired to learn, she went on to attend Trinity Mission School – walking 5 miles each day to get there. Because she was the only one in her family to attend school, she would go home and teach them what she had learned. Bethune’s teacher, Emma Jane Wilson also became a significant mentor in her life and helped her attend Scotia Seminary (now Barber Scotia College) on a scholarship.
In 1896, Bethune began teaching at Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in Augusta Georgia. She emphasized character and practical education for girls, also accepting boys who showed up hungry for knowledge. As the daughter of former slaves, she ran her school with Christian missionary zeal. After one year at Haines, Bethune transferred to the Kindell institute in Sumter, South Carolina. During that time, the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) was formed to protect African American women. Bethune served as president from 1917-1925. She also served as president of the Southeastern Federation of Colored Women’s club from 1920-1925.
In 1899, Bethune moved to Palatka, Florida with her husband and son to run a mission school and begin an outreach to prisoners. They then moved to Daytona because it had more economic opportunity. By October 1904, she started the Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls. Starting with six students, Bethune. Parents of students and church members; raised money by selling sweet potato pies, ice cream and fried fish. An idea to start a hospital began brewing after one of her students fell ill and was neglected and segregated on an outdoor porch. By 1931, Daytona’s public Hospital, Halifax agreed to open a separate hospital for African Americans. Full integration wouldn’t take place until the 1960’s.
On May 18th, 1955, Bethune passed away due to a heart attack. Her death was followed by editorial tribute in African American newspapers across the United States.
Books
*Kids*
Mary McLeod Bethune | Eloise Greenfield
Mary McLeod Bethune: African-American Educator | Barbara A. Somervill
Mary McLeod Bethune | Rackham Holt
Mary McLeod Bethune: A Life of Resourcefulness | Kristin Sterlin
*Adults*
Mary McLeod Bethune: Educator | Bernice Anderson Poole
Mary McLeod Bethune in Florida: Bringing Social Justice to the Sunshine State | Dr. Ashley N. Robertson
Mary McLeod Bethune: A Life of Resourcefulness | Kristin Sterling
Mary McLeod Bethune: Building a Better World, Essays & Selected Documents | Audrey Thomas McCluskey & Elaine M. Smith
Mary McLeod Bethune: Empowering Educator | Lissa Jones Johnston & Kenneth Goings
Movie(s)|Film(s) | Documentaries'
The Black American Experience: Famous Public Figures: Mary McLeod Bethune & Shirley – 2009
Source(s)
"Mary McLeod Bethune." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 May 2021, https://enwikipedia.org.wiki/Mary_McLeod_Bethune
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