Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Culture

Daytona’s Mary McLeod Bethune Honored in National Statuary Hall

ⓒ PBS NewsHour

Local legend Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune was honored Wednesday at the National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. Each U.S. state gets two representatives in the hall, and Bethune will now stand alongside John Gorrie, the inventor of air conditioning.

Bethune’s legacy was spoken to by several Washington heavy-hitters, including Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Michael Waltz, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

ADVERTISEMENT

In her lifetime, Bethune was a champion for African-American women, founding Bethune-Cookman University in her hometown of Daytona Beach. She addressed a lack of opportunity for those who looked like her to seek out and obtain a higher education, cementing her as one of Central Florida’s foremost civil rights icons.

She was also a close friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Each state has two representatives in the Statuary Hall, and Bethune will be replacing Edmund Kirby Smith, a general in the Confederate Army.

A measure was passed through the state legislature in 2018 to replace Smith with Bethune. It received near-unanimous support throughout the process. Smith’s statue had been up for 100 years before being removed.

Written By

Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

You May Also Like

Crime

DAYTONA BEACH – Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly was presented with an award for leadership and community engagement by Bethune-Cookman University on Friday. The...

Volusia County

DAYTONA BEACH – Bethune-Cookman University says it’s finally found its new head coach for the 2023 season: Raymond Woodie Jr. Having once played for...

Football

DAYTONA BEACH – Just weeks after being hired, Ed Reed is now out as the head football coach at Daytona Beach’s Bethune-Cookman University. The...

Football

DAYTONA BEACH – The storied Bethune-Cookman University football program has found a star for its new head coach. NFL Hall of Fame inductee Ed...

Breaking News

DAYTONA BEACH – Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young confirmed at a press conference Monday that a series of bomb threats against historically black...