Mary McLeod Bethune was a prominent African American educator, civil rights leader, and women's rights activist. She was born in 1875 in South Carolina to parents who were former slaves. Bethune was one of 17 children and grew up working in the fields with her family.

She recognized the importance of education early on and worked hard to pursue her own schooling. Bethune went on to attend Scotia Seminary and eventually founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Florida in 1904, which later merged with the Cookman Institute for Men to become Bethune-Cookman College in 1931.

Bethune was a tireless advocate for racial and gender equality, serving as an advisor to several U.S. presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was the president of the National Association of Colored Women and founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. Bethune was also instrumental in advancing the civil rights movement and fighting for the rights of African Americans.

Mary McLeod Bethune's legacy continues to inspire generations of African Americans and her contributions to education and civil rights have left a lasting impact on society. She was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1973.