Mary McLeod Bethune

Date of Birth: July 10, 1875

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: May 18, 1955

Biography

Mary McLeod Bethune was an influential American educator, stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, and civil rights activist best known for starting a private school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida. Born on July 10, 1875, in Mayesville, South Carolina, to parents who were former slaves, Bethune was the 15th of 17 children. From an early age, she was determined to get an education, which led her to study at the Scotia Seminary (now Barber-Scotia College) and the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In 1904, she founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls. The institution later merged with the Cookman Institute of Jacksonville to become Bethune-Cookman College, where she served as president. Bethune was also a prominent political leader, serving as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and playing a pivotal role in the formation of the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. She dedicated her life to improving the lives of African-Americans through education and civil rights advocacy.

5 Interesting Facts about Mary McLeod Bethune

1. Mary McLeod Bethune was the first African-American woman to head a federal agency, the National Youth Administration’s Division of Negro Affairs.

2. She was a close friend and advisor to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

3. Bethune-Cookman College, which she founded, still operates today as Bethune-Cookman University.

4. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1973.

5. Bethune was honored with a statue in Washington, D.C.’s Lincoln Park, making her the first African-American woman to be so honored in a public park in the nation’s capital.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Mary McLeod Bethune

1. “Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.”

2. “The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.”

3. “We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.”

4. “I leave you love. I leave you hope. I leave you the challenge of developing confidence in one another.”

5. “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Mary McLeod Bethune did not amass personal wealth, focusing instead on her educational and philanthropic endeavors. Her net worth was primarily tied to her institutional and societal contributions rather than personal financial gain.

Children

Mary McLeod Bethune had one child, a son named Albert McLeod Bethune, born in 1899. He was her only child and, although he did not achieve the same level of public recognition as his mother, he was an important part of her life.