Black History Month: Mary McLeod Bethune

February is Black History Month. To celebrate, we would like to highlight an individual who shaped access to the American educational system. The “first lady of the struggle,” Mary McLeod Bethune, founded a small school for black girls that would eventually transform into the first fully accredited black institution of higher learning in Florida. She became a leader in the fight for equal rights for black women and formed the National Council of Negro Women. Her work ultimately led her to the White House, where she worked for the FDR administration. She left a legacy of improving black education, civil rights, and government administration.

Her tradition of raising up young women and transforming the educational landscape for people of color continues to this day through the efforts of schools and governments in promoting equal educational opportunity. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 prohibit discrimination in education and ensure the blessings of public education are available to all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Your school advances the cause of equal educational opportunity through your recruiting outreach, admissions, policies, and support for student achievement. Thank you for reshaping education to meet student needs in the tradition of equity champions like Bethune.