Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an extraordinary educator, civil rights leader, and government trailblazer whose vision transformed the landscape of education and equality in America.

Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an extraordinary educator, civil rights leader, and government trailblazer whose vision transformed the landscape of education and equality in America.

Mary McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an extraordinary educator, civil rights leader, and government trailblazer whose vision transformed the landscape of education and equality in America.

On June 24, 1936, she made history as the first woman ever to receive a major federal appointment, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt named her Director of the Division of Negro Affairs within the National Youth Administration (NYA). In that role, Bethune became the highest-ranking African American woman in the federal government, overseeing programs that provided education, job training, and opportunities for Black youth during the Great Depression.

Born to formerly enslaved parents in Mayesville, South Carolina, Bethune rose from humble beginnings through determination and faith. In 1904, she founded the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which later merged with the Cookman Institute to become Bethune-Cookman University—one of the most respected historically Black colleges in the nation. Her belief in education as the foundation of freedom guided her entire life.

Bethune’s influence extended far beyond the classroom. As founder of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and a close advisor to President Roosevelt, she became a powerful advocate for civil rights, women’s rights, and social justice. She was also a key member of the “Black Cabinet,” an informal group of African American advisors who influenced New Deal policy.

A tireless humanitarian and eloquent writer, Bethune summed up her legacy in her famous “Last Will and Testament,” in which she bequeathed to future generations a “legacy of faith, love, hope, and responsibility.”

Mary McLeod Bethune’s life remains a shining example of how education, leadership, and compassion can uplift not only individuals but entire communities. Her legacy endures in every classroom, policy, and opportunity born of her belief that “the whole world opened to me when I learned to read.”