MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE & SHIRLEY CHISHOLM

THE BLACK AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE & SHIRLEY CHISHOLM

FAMOUS PUBLIC FIGURES

MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE:
Follow the inspiring life of political and social activist that the founder of the first college for Black women, educator, leader of women, & champion of racial equality.

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM:
Her legacy of political and social activism that the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. A champion of civil rights for American politics.

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THE BLACK AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE & SHIRLEY CHISHOLM

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MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
Mary McLeod Bethune understood the importance of education for all people. In an era when Southern schools were segregated, she founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial School for Negro Girls in 1904. This school later merged with the Cookman Institute and became Bethune-Cookman College. Through determination and dedication, she built this school into a respected institution. Bethune’s contributions to education earned her the title “The First Lady of Negro Education.” She served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was appointed Director of the Division of Negro Affairs in the National Youth Administration. Bethune was also a key figure in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the National Council of Negro Women.

SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, NY, Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1968. She served in the House of Representatives for seven terms. She was known for her dedication to civil rights, women’s rights, and social justice. In 1972, she became the first Black candidate to seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. Although she did not win, her campaign paved the way for future generations of women and minorities in politics.