Informational pages for Mary McLeod Bethune Commemorative Stamp - Black Heritage Series, includes images of the stamps, information about the physical stamp and biographical information for Mary McLeod Bethune. First issued March 5, 1985, stamp No. 238 in a series

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University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Stamp Collection Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers 3-5-1985 Black Heritage Stamp Series: Mary McLeod Bethune United States Postal Service. Stamp Division Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/hurst_stamps  Part of the African American Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Black Heritage Stamp Series: Mary McLeod Bethune. 1985. Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers. University of North Florida. Thomas G. Carpenter Library. Special Collections and Archives. UNF Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/hurst_stamps/17 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Stamp Collection by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 3-5-1985 All Rights Reserved Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library  Special CollectionsMary McLeod Bethune Copyright U.S. Postal Service 1985 Issue Date: March 5, 1985 First Day City: Washington , D.C. Designer: Jerry Pinkney Croton-on-Hudson, New York Typographer: Bradbury Thompson Art Director: Jack Williams Modeler: Richard C. Sennett Process: Gravure Colors: Yellow, red , blue, black, purple and green Image Area: .71 x .82 inches or 18.03 x 20.82 millimeters Plate Numbers: One group of six digits (preceded by the letter "A") Stamps per Pane: 50 Selvage: © U.S. Postal Service 1985 Use Correct ZIP Code® Mr. ZIP® (running position) Mary McLeod Bethune Commemorative Stamp A 22-cent stamp commemorating noted educator and social activist Mary McLeod Bethune, the eighth issue in the Black Heritage Series, was issued March 5 in Washington, D.C. Mary McLeod Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina, in 1875, the 15th of 17 children born to former slaves. Through the beneficence of a rural school teacher, she was taken out of her family's cotton fields and sent to Scotia Seminary in Concord, North Carolina, to receive an education. In 1904, with only $1.50 in her pocket, but great hopes and dreams, she rented a rickety, two-story frame building and, with only five students, opened the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls. In 1923, the former grade school was merged with Cookman Institute to become Bethune-Cookman College with 600 students, 32 teachers and Mrs. Bethune as president. In addition to her role as educator, she was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to head the Negro Division of the National Youth Administration, the highest government job then held by a black woman. In 1935, Mrs. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women, forming a coali-tion of the leading black women's organizations of her day. She died in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1955. FIRST DAY OF ISSUE Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library  Special Collections""'TES z -: AMERICAN COMMEMORATIVES ... Mary McLeod -Bethune "I leave you love ... hope ... a thirst for education ... racial dignity .. . and a desire to live harmoniously with your fellow man." These were the words of Mary McLeod Bethune, a woman with indomitable spirit and determination, who dedicated her life to thousands of young black children yearning for an education. Born in 1875 in the small wooden cabin near Mayesville, South Carolina, pictured in the engraving above, Mary Jane McLeod was the 15th of 17 children born to former slaves. Despite poverty and hardships, her strong will and deep faith made her realize that Illiteracy was a hand-icap she could not accept-for herself or for others. , In 1895, after graduating from the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, she returned to the South, taught at several mission schools and in 1899 married Albertus L. Bethune, a fellow teacher. In 1904, with only $1.50, crates and boxes for desks, and charred wood pencils, she founded the Daytona Educa-tional and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Day-tona Beach, Florida. Within five years, Bethune had more than 250 students, and in 1923 merged with the Cookman Institute to fonn Bethune-Cookman Col-lege. She continued as college presi-dent for over 20 years. In 1935, she founded the Na-tional Council of Negro Women, and later became director of the Division of Minority Affairs in the National Youth Adminis-tration. For nearly 40 years she was a close friend and advisor to five U. S. Presidents, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who would often call her personally to seek advice and wisdom. Like the great oaks that grew from acorns to shade the Bethune-Cookman campus, so did the knowledge and spirit she planted grow into new freedom for thousands of men and women. Mary McLeod Bethune died in Daytona Beach on May 18, 1955. The stamp commemorating her was designed by Jerry Pinkney of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, and was issued on March 5, 1985, in Washington, D. C. Stamps printed by the American Bank Note Comoany/J.W. Fergusson and Sons, Inc. Copyright 1985 United States Postal Service No. 238 In a series March 5,1985/ Printed In U.S.A. Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library  Special CollectionsI I I I I I I I I I I I I I I• I I I I I I I I I I I ''' + f ; •II f ft t I I It I I I I I I I I l~ Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library  Special CollectionsCover photo courtesy of the Bethune Mu eum Archives. National liistoric Site. 1985 U.S. Postal Service. All rights reserved. Mary McLeod Bethune Stamp first Day of Issue Ceremony March 5, 1985 Departmental Auditorium Washington, D.C. Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library  Special CollectionsPresiding Presentation of Colors National Anthem Invocation Welcome and Introduction or Distinguished Ciuests Remarks Musical Selection Address and Presentation of Albums Benediction Honored Ciuests Albert Bethune, Sr. Son of Mrs. Bethune Benjamin Hooks t:xecutiue Director NAACP Dr. Oswa Id P. Bronson , Sr. Presidenl Bethune-Cookman College Dr. Wi I liam Trent Benne// College John R. Cochran Postmaster Washington. D.C. The Cardoza ROTC Color Guard The Cardoza High School Band Vocalist : Annette Poulard Bi hop John Hurst Adams Second Episcopa l District African Methodist Episcopal Church Bettye Col lier -Thomas Executive Director Bethune Museum -Archives, Inc. Na tional Historic Site Dorothy I. Height President National Counci l of Negro Women Postal Service Chorale Washington , D.C., Post Office ---------- --------Mary J. Layton Assistant Postmaster General Bishop John Hurst Adams Distinguished members of tl1e U.S. Congress Honorable Donald P tlodel Secretary of l/1e Interior Myrtle Gray President National A.ssocialion of Colored Women 's Clubs, Inc. Jerry Pinkney Designer of the Stamp FIRST DAY OF ISSUE When Mary McLeod was born in rural South Caro l ina on July 10, 1875, her future seemed less than promising. Her parents and 16 brothers and sisters we re impoverished and uneducated. At the time. it was imposs ible for a Southern black child to rece ive any form of public education. But. Mary was imbued with determination, a strong wil l and fierce pride. Il l iteracy was a handicap she would 110/ accept, for herself or for others. Neighbors and relatives considered her un ique and had hig l1 expectations for her. She did not disappoint them. In 1895, after graduating from the Moody Bible Insti tute in Chicago, Mary returned to the south where she taught at several mission schools for nearly I O yea rs. In 1899, she married a fellow teacher, Albert L. Bethune. She dreamed of establishing her own school. one which in her words, "would do the grea test good for the greatest number." Her pursuit of that dream bega n in 1904, when, wi th a total of $ 1.50, she founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Girls at Daytona Beach, Florida. Her first class cons isted of five girls who paid 50 cen ts per week for tuition. Within five years the school 's enro l lment had increased to more than 250 pup il s - gi rl s and boys - who yearned for educa-tion. In 1923, the school merged with the Cookman Institute to form Bethune-Cookman College. Mrs. Bethu ne became the school's first president and remained in that position unti l 1942. In 1936, in recognition of her leadership, she was appo inted the Director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration. Under Mrs. Bethune's guidance, the Administrat ion provided educational trai ning for more than 600,000 black children annually. During the years of World War 11, she was appointed special ass istant to the Secretary of War for the selection of officer candidates for the Women's Army Co rps. Mrs. Bethune also served as a special advisor to President Roosevelt on minority affa irs. The Posta l Service takes pride in issuing this stamp in honor of one of America's most devoted educato rs, Mary McLeod Bethune. The stamp, wl1i ch is be ing issued during Women's History Week. was designed by Jerry Pinkney of Croton -on -H udson, New York. Mr. Pinkney has designed all eight of the stamps in the Black Heritage USA Series. Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special CollectionsFIRST DAY OF ISSUE Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special CollectionsThe authorized gold stamp replica preserved in this cover is produced under a non-exclusive licensing agreement with the United States Postal Service. Stamp design © U.S. Postal Service. COVER DESIGN © POSTAL COMMEMORATIVE SOCIETY Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special CollectionsMary McLeod Bethune Black Heritage Series First Day oflssue: March 5, 1985 First Day City: Washington , D.C., where Bethune served as a Presidential adviser Stamp Designer: Jerry Pinkney Croton-on-Hudson , New York This U.S. stamp pays tribute to Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) , the daughter of slaves who became a promi-nent educator and adviser to Presidents. The focus of her life was to improve educational, economic, and social op-portunities for her fellow black Americans . Mary Bethune grew up in the South, where she was trained as a teacher. She began her career as an educator in church-run schools for blacks in South Carolina and Geor-gia. Then, in 1904, she established the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute in Daytona Beach, Florida, which began with an enrollment of six students. The school grew stead-ily, and eventually offered both elementary and high school Pos1al Commemorative Society courses. Much of the curriculum was job-oriented and geared to black females, who had few educational oppor-tunities. Twenty-five years after its founding, the school merged with an all-male institute to become Bethune-Cook-man College. Mary Bethune served as president until 1942. A woman of enormous energy, Bethune served on var-ious commissions under Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Her-bert Hoover, and Franklin Roosevelt. In 1939, she was named Director, Division of Negro Affairs, of the National Youth Administration . Her influence greatly increased black participation in NYA programs. Mary Bethune also founded the National Council of Negro Wom n and served as an officer of the National As-sociation for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Urban League. She organized the Federal Council on Negro Affairs, which worked to secure increased bene-fits for blacks from the federal government. 

Black Heritage Stamp Series: Mary McLeod Bethune

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Black Heritage Stamp Series: Mary McLeod Bethune

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