Mary McLeod Bethune: Building Doors of Opportunity
Mary McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875, near Mayesville, South Carolina. Growing up on a small cotton farm after the Civil War, she worked in the fields alongside her family. At that time, many Black children in the South had few chances to attend school. When a mission school opened several miles away, young Mary walked the distance each day to learn how to read, write, and do math. She soon realized that education could transform lives, and she decided to dedicate her future to teaching others.
After finishing her studies, Bethune moved to Florida to pursue her goal. In 1904, she arrived in Daytona Beach, where many African American laborers were working on the new Florida East Coast Railway. Bethune noticed that the workers' children had no school to attend. With only $1.50 in savings, she rented a small frame house and gathered five young girls as her first students. She built desks from discarded wooden crates and used charred wood splints as pencils. To keep the school open, Bethune and her students baked pies and sweet potato cakes to sell to local workers and visitors.
- mission school:
- A school established by a religious organization, often to serve communities lacking public education.
- segregation:
- The enforced separation of different racial groups in daily life.
- institution:
- An established organization or school dedicated to a specific public purpose.
- advocate:
- To speak up, argue, or take action in support of a cause or group of people.
- vocational:
- Relating to training or education that teaches practical skills for specific jobs or careers.
- legacy:
- Something valuable handed down or remembered from a person's life and achievements.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What motivated Mary McLeod Bethune to dedicate her life to teaching others?
- 2Why did Bethune choose to start a school specifically in Daytona Beach, Florida?
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About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“Mary McLeod Bethune: Building Doors of Opportunity” is a biography reading passage about Mary McLeod Bethune, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (465 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.