Our Beloved Founder
Mary McLeod Bethune
1875-1955
Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, an organizer, and a political activist.
She made many contributions to the African American Society. First, Mary
started one of the first schools for African American girls in Daytona Beach,
Florida. Because she had very little money, Mary used boxes and packing crates
for desks. On October 3, 1904, the Daytona Normal and Industrial School opened,
with five pupils. Secondly, Mary was the first African American woman to be
involved in the White House, assisting four different presidents. In 1928,
President Calvin Coolidge asked Mary to take part in a child care conference. In
1929, President Herbert Hoover called on Mrs. Bethune to become a member of two
important commissions.
In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt looked to Mary for help with the National Youth Administration. In 1951, Mary traveled to Africa on a mission for President Harry Truman. Next, Mrs. Bethune was in charge of the Division of Negro Affairs in the National Youth Administration. She worked hard to help young people find jobs. Also, Mary organized conferences in Washington, D.C. concerning the many problems facing African Americans. Finally, Mrs. Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman College (BCC) in 1923. Since 1943, BCC has had over 9,500 students graduate. In addition, this college offers Bachelor Degrees in 26 major areas. Throughout her life, Mary encouraged African Americans to be proud they were American citizens. She used her wisdom and talents to improve our society today.