Mary McLeod Bethune Home & Grave Site
628 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.
The Bethune home was built in 1915 and is located on the campus of Bethune-Cookman University. The home contains fascinating memorabilia and artifacts from Mrs. Bethune's illustrious career.
Having founded Bethune-Cookman College and serving as its first president, Mrs. Bethune was an internationally renowned educator. However, her accomplishments ranged far beyond the college and the field of education. In 1935, she founded the National Council of Negro Women, and also that year she was awarded the NAACP's prestigious Spingarn Medal for distinguished merit and achievement. In 1936, Mrs. Bethune became the highest ranking African-American administrator in the federal government after being appointed director of the National Youth Administration's Office of Minority Affairs by President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1945, she was chosen by the U.S. State Department to serve as an official consultant at the San Francisco Conference, where the United Nations Charter was drawn up and signed. Among the home's highlights is the guest bedroom where her close friend, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, stayed when visiting Daytona Beach.
Mrs. Bethune lived in the home until her death on May 18, 1955. The grave and memorial are located just west of the home on the university's campus. The home was declared a national historic landmark by the National Park Service in 1975.
