Mary Mcleod Bethune Research Paper

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Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune is one of the most well known people for being an African-American educator, but other than being and American educator she is also known as a stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian and civil rights activist . Out of 17 children Mary was the 15th in 1875, in her family Mary was the first to go to school and first to be born free. When Mary McLeod Bethune was 11she graduated from the mission school and worked in the cotton fields until 1887 when she went to Scotia Seminary in Concord, North Carolina. When Mary graduated from her school in North Carolina she continued her education at Mission Training School of Moody Bible Institute to pursue her goal of working in Africa that was then rejected when
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Mary became involved in government service helping several presidents including President Calvin Coolidge, President Hoover, and President Roosevelt. Although Mary McLeod Bethune helped many presidents she was most recognized for her public service with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While Mary was a special advisor for President Roosevelt on minority affairs she started up a civil rights organization, The National Council of Nero Women which was created to represent groups working on critical issues for African-American women. A year later in 1936 Mary became the director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration thanks to President Roosevelt and became a trusted friend to Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt.

Mary McLeod Bethune carried a cane, not because she needs it but because it gave her “swank”. Mary was referred to as “Mama Bethune” by her students because her school was her “first family” and that they were her first priority. Although many people, mostly whites, have threaten with little respect and have threaten her life many times she manage to make an ally with some of them but she always treated them with courtesy showing that there is good in people and that skin color/race/gender does not