Mary McLeod Bethune
1875 – 1955

Mary McLeod Bethune

American educator and civil rights leader (1875-1955)

feministsuffragistreligious leaderpedagoguejournalist
Born
1875-07-10, Mayesville
Died
1955-05-18
Birthplace state
South Carolina

Biography

Mary McLeod Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina, in 1875 and worked as an educator, journalist, and civil rights advocate. She founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 and established the Aframerican Women's Journal as its flagship publication. In the same year, she joined the National Youth Administration and became the first Black woman to lead a federal agency when President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed her as head of a department within the organization. She died in 1955.

Occupation

Mary McLeod Bethune is recorded as a feminist, a suffragist, a religious leader, a pedagogue, a journalist, a human rights defender, a civil rights advocate, a missionary, a politician, a teacher and a writer, born in South Carolina (1875–1955).

Connections to South Carolina

Mary McLeod Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina in 1875. Explore other notable figures from South Carolina, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from South Carolina›South Carolinahistory ›Historic sites in South Carolina›
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Everything a full report reveals about Mayesville

Mary McLeod Bethune came from Mayesville. A full Aubrey report on Mayesville pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from South Carolina

Other historical figures born in South Carolina, ranked by historical prominence.

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president of the United States from 1829 to 1837
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Chadwick Boseman
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Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
American singer and actress (1927–2008)
John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun
vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832 (1782–1850)
Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier
American boxer (1944–2011)

Frequently asked about Mary McLeod Bethune

Who was Mary McLeod Bethune?
Mary McLeod Bethune was American educator and civil rights leader (1875-1955), born in South Carolina (1875 – 1955).
When and where was Mary McLeod Bethune born?
Mary McLeod Bethune was born on 1875-07-10 in Mayesville.
When did Mary McLeod Bethune die?
Mary died on 1955-05-18.
What was Mary McLeod Bethune known for?
Mary McLeod Bethune is recorded as a feminist, a suffragist, a religious leader, a pedagogue, a journalist, a human rights defender, a civil rights advocate, a missionary, a politician, a teacher and a writer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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