Mary McLeod Bethune was an influential African American educator, civil rights leader, and government official. She was born in 1875 in South Carolina to former slaves. Bethune dedicated her life to promoting education and racial equality.

Bethune founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in 1904, which later merged with the Cookman Institute to become Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. She also founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, an organization that advocated for women and families of color.

Bethune was a prominent member of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Black Cabinet," advising him on minority issues and helping to shape New Deal policies that benefited African Americans. She was the first African American woman to head a federal agency as the Director of the Division of Negro Affairs in the National Youth Administration.

Mary McLeod Bethune's legacy continues to inspire future generations to strive for excellence, education, and equal rights for all. She was a trailblazer in the fight for civil rights and social justice for African Americans in the United States.