BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Mary McLeod Bethune

Mary McLeod Bethune and Her Impact on the Labor Movement

Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, civil rights activist, humanitarian, and the founder of the National Council of Negro Women in the 20th century. She earned her teaching degree from the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for African Americans. In 1904, Bethune founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls. This later became Bethune-Cookman University.

Bethune’s work extended beyond education. She was a key figure in the civil rights movement and served as an advisor to several U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt not only appointed her as a national advisor but also worked with Bethune to create the Federal Council on Colored Affairs, otherwise known as the Black Cabinet. While leading the Black Cabinet, she worked on lynching legislation, welfare, and poll taxes. She worked with A. Philip Randolph to convince President Roosevelt to create a Federal Committee on Fair Employment Practices. Through the New Deal agencies, Bethune helped create jobs for unemployed African Americans.

In 1904, Bethune was elected president of the American Teachers’ Association (ATA). The ATA and the NEA merged in the 1960s. She also served as a director for the National Youth Administration, a New Deal agency that helped unemployed African American youth during the Great Depression. In April 1949, Ebony Magazine called Bethune the “First Lady of Negro America.” Later, in 1974, Mary McLeod Bethune received the distinction of having a statue erected in her honor. It was the first monument to honor an African American and a woman in a public park in the nation’s capital. It is located in Lincoln Park in Washington, DC.

She was born on July 10, 1875, in Mayesville, South Carolina, the fifteenth of seventeen children in a family of former slaves. Despite facing many challenges, including poverty and racial discrimination, Bethune was determined to pursue an education.

Her vision was to provide young Black women with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in society. Throughout her career, she advocated for social justice, equal rights, and education, becoming a prominent voice in the African American community. Several of her writings were published in many periodicals from 1924 to 1955. Bethune’s work extended beyond education.

Mary McLeod Bethune’s legacy continues to inspire generations for her unwavering belief in the power of hope and determination. Bethune was known for her fierce dedication to the cause of racial equality and her ability to unite people across diverse backgrounds. Her work laid the foundation for the civil rights movement.