Bill > SP0184

This joint resolution celebrates the life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune, a prominent African American educator, civil rights leader, and government official of the 20th century. Born in 1875 to formerly enslaved parents in South Carolina, Bethune overcame significant obstacles to become an influential figure in education and social justice. She founded the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which eventually became Bethune-Cookman College, and was a key leader in numerous organizations promoting racial and gender equality, including the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the National Council of Negro Women. Bethune served in the Roosevelt administration as the director of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration and was part of an unofficial "Black Cabinet," becoming the highest-ranking African American woman in government at the time. She was instrumental in voter registration efforts, fought against discrimination, and played a crucial role in integrating the Women's Army Corps and advocating for civil rights. The resolution honors her remarkable achievements, including her work with the NAACP, her contributions to education, and her status as the first African American to be represented with a state statue in the National Statuary Hall Collection, recognizing her significant impact on American society.

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?paper=SP0184&snum=132