Mary McLeod Bethune Quotes

A collection of quotes by Mary McLeod Bethune.

Mary McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875, in Maysville, South Carolina. She was an African American educator, political leader, and civil rights activist who dedicated her life to fighting for educational opportunities and equality for black Americans. Bethune was the fifteenth of seventeen children born to parents who were once enslaved individuals.

As a young girl, Bethune attended Scotia Seminary (now Barber-Scotia College) in North Carolina. After graduation, she went on to teach at Haines Institute in Augusta, Georgia. In 1904, Bethune founded a boarding school for black girls in Daytona Beach, Florida, which later merged with Cookman Institute to become Bethune-Cookman College.

Bethune's dedication and passion for education led her to become an influential figure in American history. She served as an advisor to the US government on minority affairs under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and she was also appointed as a special advisor on minority affairs by President Harry S. Truman.

Throughout her life, Bethune fought against racial discrimination and segregation. She was a key figure in the establishment of the National Council of Negro Women and the National Youth Administration's Division of Negro Affairs. Bethune's tireless efforts and remarkable contributions not only advanced educational opportunities but also helped shape civil rights movements. She became an inspiration for future generations of activists fighting for racial equality.

Mary McLeod Bethune passed away on May 18, 1955, leaving a legacy of empowerment and progress for the African American community.

The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.

The whole world opened to me when I learned to read.

Mary McLeod Bethune


Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. With

Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Life Faith Service

Knowledge is the prime need of the hour.

Knowledge is the prime need of the hour.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Knowledge

We have a powerful potential in out youth, and we must have

We have a powerful potential in out youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Change

We can see the Divine in each speck of dust, but that doesn'

We can see the Divine in each speck of dust, but that doesn't stop us from wiping it away with a wet sponge. The Divine doesn't disappear; it's transformed into the clean surface.

Paulo Coelho


If we have the courage and tenacity of our forebears, who st

If we have the courage and tenacity of our forebears, who stood firmly like a rock against the lash of slavery, we shall find a way to do for our day what they did for theirs.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Bravery