Mary McLeod Bethune1875-1955
Mary McLeod Bethune earned a degree from Scotia Seminary, later known as Barber-Scotia College. While she desired to serve as a missionary in Africa, she became a teacher instead. Between the years of 1896 and 1904, Mary taught in the states of Georgia and South Carolina. In 1904 she moved to Daytona, Florida and started the Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls with only 6 students. Her school's enrollment rose to 102 in 1910 and to 351 by 1920. In 1923 Bethune's school merged with the Cookman Institute for Men and became Bethune-Cookman School. Bethune served as College President of Bethune-Cookman from 1923-1942 and 1946-1947. Among many other roles, Mary Bethune served as Assistant for National Youth Administration, Director of Negro Affairs National president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), and advisor to President Roosevelt.
For more information, see Mary McLeod Bethune: A Great American Educator (REVISED) by Patricia McKissack
Benjamin Elijah Mays1894-1984
Dr. Mays earned his undergraduate degree from Bates College in 1920 and his graduate degrees from the University of Chicago (Masters 1925 and PhD in Religious Studies in 1935). He served as President of Morehouse College from 1940 to 1967. During his tenure as a university professor and later president of Morehouse, Dr. Mays acted as a long time mentor and spiritual advisor to Dr. Martin King Jr. It was Dr. Mays who gave the eulogy at Dr. King's funeral in 1968. In addition to his service as a college president, Dr. Mays acted as: an advisor to Presidents Johnson and Carter, the first black president of the Atlanta Board of Education, and national student secretary of the YMCA.
For more information, see Born to Rebel: An Autobiography by Benjamin E. Mays, Orville Vernon Burton (2003)
