Educator: Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune's legacy

Sometimes I ask myself if I have any legacy to leave My worldly possessions are few Yet, my experiences have been rich. From them I have distilled principles and policies in which I firmly believe. Perhaps, in them there is something of value So, as my life draws to a close, I will pass them on to Negroes everywhere in hope that his philoso phy may give them inspiration. Here, then is my legacy:

I LEAVE YOU LOVE. Injuries quickly forgotten quickly pass away. Personally and racially, our enemies must be forgiven. our aim must be to create a world of fellowship and justice where no man's color or religion is held against him. "Love thy neighbor" is a precept which could transform the world if it were universally practiced. It connotes brotherhood and to me, brotherhood of man is the noblest concept of all human relationships. Loving your neighbor means being interracial, interreligious and international.

I LEAVE YOU HOPE. Yesterday, our ancestors endured the degradation of slavery, yet they retained their dignity. Today, we direct our economic and political strength toward winning a more abundant and secure life. Tomorrow, a new Negro, unhindered by race taboos and shackles, will benefit from this striving and struggling.

I LEAVE YOU A THIRST FOR EDUCATION. More and more, Negroes are taking full advantage of hard-won opportunities for learning, and the educational level of the Negro population is at its highest point in history. We are making greater use of the privileges inherent in living in a democracy. Now that the barriers are crumbling everywhere, the Negro in America must be ever vigilant lest his forces be marshalled behind wrong causes and undemocratic movements... He must not lend his support to any group that seeks to subvert democracy.

I LEAVE YOU FAITH. Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without faith, nothing is impossible. With it, nothing is impossible. faith in God is the greatest power, but great faith too is faith in oneself. The faith of the American Negro in himself his grown immensely, and is still increasing. The measure of our progress as a race is in precise relation to the depth of the faith in our people held by our leaders.

I LEAVE YOU RACIAL DIGNITY. I want Negroes to maintain their human dignity at all costs. We, as Negroes, must recognize that we are the custodians as well as the heirs of a great civilization. As a race we have given something to the world, and for this we are proud and fully conscious of our place in the total picture of mankind's development.

I LEAVE YOU A DESIRE TO LIVE HARMONIOUSLY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEN. The problem of color is world wide, on every continent. I appeal to all to recognize their common problems, and unite to solve them. So often our difficulties have made us supersensitive and truculent. I want to see my people conduct themselves in all relationships, fully conscious of their responsibilities and deeply aware of their heritage. We are a minority of fifteen million living side by side with a white majority of 177 million, We must learn to deal with people positively and on an individual basis.

I LEAVE YOU FINALLY A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. Our children must never lose their zeal for building a better world. They must not be discouraged from aspiring toward greatness, for they are to be leaders of tomorrow. We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.

Faith, courage, brotherhood, dignity, ambition, responsibilitythese are needed today as never before. We must cultivate them and use them as tools for our task of completing the establishment of equality for the Negro. We must sharpen these tools in the struggle that faces us and find new ways of using them. The Freedom Gates are half ajar. We must pry them fully open.

if I have a legacy to leave my people, it is my philosophy of living and serving. As I face tomorrow, I am content. I pray now that my philosophy may be helpful to those who share my vision of a world of Peace.

Mary McCloud Bethune (1875- 1955)

Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator and civic leader. She founded the National Council of Negro Women, The Dayton Literary and industrial School for Training Negro Girls, and the Bethune-Cookman College. She served as that college's president until 1947. Bethune, a good fundraiser, had James Gamble of Proctor and Gamble as one of her patrons. Another person was Thomas White of the White Sewing Machine Company. He helped her school.

Like Booker I Washington, she believed in doing simple things well-even manual work with dignity. She taught girls how to set tables correctly and keep orderly homes, inside and out. Adults learned the value of stable families and being true to each other.

Copyright Crisis Publishing Company, Incorporated Sep/Oct 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved