First Lady of the Struggle: Mary McLeod Bethune and Global Black Freedom

Description

This course will focus on the life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune through an examination of her activism in the areas of education, politics, women's rights issues, civil rights issues, and world affairs. Throughout the course of her 79 years, she rose from humble beginnings in South Carolina, the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, to work with presidents and world leaders. She was born during the period of Reconstruction, and passed away the same year as the ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education was made, which will allow for a study of her participation in laying the foundation for the Modern Civil Rights Movement. Students will also gain experiential learning by visiting historic sites which preserve the legacy of Bethune, including the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House-National Historic Site and the Carter G. Woodson Home-National Historic Site.