Mary Mcleod Bethune Research Paper

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Mary McLeod Bethune was perhaps one of the most prominent African American women in history today. Born on July 10th, 1875 in a small cabin near Mayesville, South Carolina, Mary’s parents Samuel and Pasty McLeod, were former slaves and as were most of her brothers and sisters. Mary Bethune grew up in poverty. To make ends meet, she aided her mother by working with her delivering and washing clothes to slave masters. Bethune became inspired to read after finding a book and attend school making her the only one of her 16 siblings to do. Bethune grew up amidst poverty and oppression to later receive a scholarship to Scotia Seminary which is known today as Barber-Scotia College. After college, Mary moved to Florida in hopes of initially …show more content…
She then married Albertus Bethune in 1898. The couple had one child named Albert Mcleod Bethune before ending their marriage in 1907. After not being able to become a missionary Mary settled for teaching young children. The dream of opening her own school did not cease which subsequently led to her starting the school. Bethune founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls in 1904. Starting small with as little as five students, she helped grow the school to more 250 students over the next years. For nearly a decade, Bethune worked as an educator and mentor. Her college eventually grew to what is now well known as Bethune-Cookman University. Mary strongly believed that education was very vital and provided the key to racial advancement. While working to achieving her dream she became a national leader on issues related to civil rights, education, women and young people for African Americans. Mary even worked