“We who believe in freedom cannot rest,

We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes”

Bernice Johnson Reagon, “Ella’s Song” performed by Sweet

Honey and The Rock

Women as Change Agents: Multiple Roles and Diverse

Responsibilities

What was the role of women in the Civil Rights Move-

ment? This has become a popular and frequently asked

question about the movement, particularly during Wom-

en’s History Month. At first blush, we should celebrate

the question because it seems to suggest that society is

ready to recognize and give our women credit for their

significant contributions to history and the struggle for

social justice. It also implies that perhaps we are no

(continued on page 2)

To understand Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune as only a champion of Civil Rights would

be to ignore her longstanding commitment to the rights of women and to education.

Hers was a life of civic engagement spent working for the greater good, and we at the

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (NHS) continue to tell

the story of her life in the house where she and the National Council of Negro Wom-

en, Inc. (NCNW) defined its role in such historic decisions as the integration of Afri-

can Americans into the Defense Program and the nation’s public school systems, and

the desegregation of restaurants and theaters in Washington, D.C. A host of programs

were initiated from 1318 Vermont Ave. to address the problems of inadequate hous-

ing, racial discrimination, health care, employment and the preservation of African

American women’s history. The house was also used as a rallying point for national

organizations and individuals

who made the March on

Washington for Jobs and

Freedom on August 28,

1963. This is the history that

is interpreted to visitors eve-

ry day when they enter the

doors of the Council House.

(continued on page 7)

H i s t o r i c a l H o t T o p i c : " R e f l e c t i o n s

a n d R e m e m b r a n c e : T h e W o m e n o f t h e

C i v i l R i g h t s M o v e m e n t ”

1 9 6 4 C I V I L

R I G H T S A C T

A N N I V E R S A R Y

E D I T I O N :

Historical Hot Topic

1

Greetings from the

Council House

(continued on page 7)

1

Historical Hot Topic

(continued) 2&3

Inside the Retreat:

A Special Friendship

4

Legend Keeper: A

Word from the

Curator

5

Feature Article:

Honoring Her Legacy 6

Credits/Resources 7&8

G r e e t i n g s f r o m t h e C o u n c i l H o u s e

T H E H O M E O F D R . M A R Y M C L E O D B E T H U N E

The Legendary Retreat Spring, 2014 Volume 1, Issue 3

Page 2

Reflections and Remembrance (cont’d)

longer willing to accept incomplete one-dimensional stories of our collective past. Although the question on its face may be well-

intentioned, born of genuine curiosity, in reality it functions as a loaded question anchored to an often misleading and predetermined

answer. Biases in academic and popular narratives are largely responsible for the misperception that men and women in the move-

ment had separate even rigidly prescribed gender roles.

It is a myth that women had just one role or single status in the movement as the question about “the” role of women implies. The

women of the movement were agents of change who brought their considerable talents, unwavering commitment, and great courage to

bear in the protracted struggle against a system of injustice that was protected by the laws of the land. We do them a disservice when

we accept at face value narratives which serve to demote and downplay the centrality of African American women to the success of the

movement. The fact of the matter is that women played diverse and multiple role(s) in the Civil Rights Movement. They were leaders

and they were rank and file activists; some women were in high profile and highly visible positions and others were in less visible be-

hind the scene, but nonetheless critical roles; without question women, assumed the same risks, faced the same physical danger and

legal jeopardy as black men because of their involvement in the movement.

A powerful essay entitled, “Women, Power, and Revolution,” authored by Kathleen Neal Cleaver, provides guidance and insight for

understanding the hidden bias embedded in the question on the role of women in the movement. The role of women was, “the same

as men,” contends Cleaver, “we were revolutionaries.” Cleaver asserted her dislike for this type of question because in her experience

it invariably led people to conclude that men and women in the movement were doing separate things. Kathleen Cleaver’s essay is a

cogent rebuttal to the idea that women did not play essential roles in the movement.

Following in the Footsteps of Their Ancestors

African American women such as Ella Baker, Fannie Hamer, Diane Nash, Kathleen Cleaver, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson, Dorothy

Height, Rosa Parks and countless other women activists of the civil rights generation come from a long tradition of female freedom

fighters. Our women have been a force in history and they have been intimately involved in every major struggle for justice in African

American history (from the abolitionist movement to the Civil Rights Movement). Only by placing their actions within the context of

the earlier tradition of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frances E.W. Harper, Ida B. Wells, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Anna Julia

Cooper, and Mary McLeod Bethune can we really appreciate what is often hidden in plain sight. Our foremothers collectively were

doing far more than defying and transcending restrictive gender norms of this society. If we place them and their activism in proper

context by taking the long-view of history it allows us to see a different and transformative pattern which rewrites gender expectations

for African American women. These women are using their agency and power to form a new model of womanhood for their sisters

and daughters. Our foremothers used their agency to nurture, inspire, and prepare the next generation of women to become leaders in

the struggle for social justice. Consequentially they all led by example.

We see the intergenerational link, the torch of leadership and service, passed between Mary McLeod Bethune and Dorothy Height.

Mrs. Bethune the founder of the National Council of Negro Women recruited Height to join the organization and helped prepare her

for the mantle of leadership. Height, following in the footsteps of Bethune, became not only the longest serving president of the

NCNW she goes on, as the leader of NCNW, to infuse female energy into the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, an umbrel-

la group comprised of the leaders of the major civil rights organizations( SNCC, CORE, NAACP, SCLC and National Urban League

and NCNW). This group played a leading role in planning and organizing the March on Washington. Last year marked the 50th Anni-

versary of this history making March.

Ella Baker’s relationship to the women of SNCC is another example of the intergenerational link in an unbroken line of female lead-

ership in the long struggle for Black freedom and equality. Mrs. Baker was a seasoned veteran of the Civil Rights struggle by the

1960’s. She was the force behind the birth of the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC). She organized the student

leadership conference in April of 1960 at Shaw University which directly led to the formation of SNCC and served as a mentor and

political advisor to the group. In addition to SNCC being an organization on the frontline of sit-ins and voter registration campaigns,

this group provided a platform for the emergence of many of the most significant female leaders of the civil rights era. Fannie Lou

Hamer perhaps became the best known among this group. Her riveting testimony at the Democratic National Convention in 1964

gave voice to the backlash she and countless others endured (physical violence, threats, harassment and even death) merely for regis-

tering to vote.

Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin are also representative exemplars of this intergenerational link. Colvin at the age of fifteen refused

to give up her seat on a Montgomery Bus months before Rosa Parks took the same stand in 1955. Although, Colvin did not become

the symbol of defiance that is given credit for sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, nonetheless Colvin through her action inspired

and galvanized her community. She became a party to the lawsuit, Browder vs. Gayles (1956) which led to the court decision that

outlawed segregated buses. This case brought the Montgomery Bus Boycott to a victorious conclusion. Women of the Civil Rights

Movement not only provided leadership to the movement, they also served as the backbone sustaining the movement with their

sheer numbers and overwhelming involvement at all levels of the struggle. Sometimes it was their action that served as the catalyst that

initiated a new chapter in the struggle, as was the case with Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin, and Jo Ann Robinson. Robinson was the

President of the Women’s Political Council (WPC). The WPC was the group that organized and launched the Montgomery Bus

Boycott. The initiative and collective action of these women created the circumstances and opportunity for the emergence of Martin

Luther King, Jr. Each of these women played a different but interconnected role. Rosa Parks became the highly visible icon of the

bus boycott while Claudette Colvin remained in a low profile role but pivotal role. Jo Ann Robinson’s behind the scene leadership

role as one of the masterminds behind the idea of launching a boycott was monumental. We should not get into debates over whose

role is more or less important, but rather see that their actions taken together is what changes the course of history.

The Struggle Continues

We stand on the shoulders of giants. Women of the civil rights generation answered the call of history and met the challenges of their

day selflessly with bold audacity and quiet dignity. We have all been the beneficiaries of this legacy. They were not looking to achieve

personal glory. They were driven by values beyond personal gain. We honor them best not by just reciting their names only during

Women’s History Month or by rituals of passive remembrance. Their memories demand more of us. They have bequeathed to us a

responsibility and duty to build upon and extend their legacies to help meet the challenges of our historical moment so that the beau-

tiful ones not yet born and those of the generation following us will reap a better and more just world.

Valethia Watkins, Ph.D., JD

Director, Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate Program at Howard University &

Assistant Professor in the Department of Afro-American Studies

Page 3

P a g e 4

T h e L e g e n d a r y R e t r e a t

By Ms. Dawn Gross

Assistant to the Curator

Bethune-Cookman University

Inside the Retreat: The Special Friendship between

Mrs. Bethune and Marjorie Stewart Joyner

The collaboration and unique friendship between Mary McLeod Bethune and

Marjorie S. Joyner was a magical union borne out of necessity and commitment to

fulfilling one’s goals. Both of these great ladies were considered businesswomen

and humanitarians. Both would go on to become wonderful educators, filled with

the desire and passion of seeing one’s race and culture succeed in areas that were

once considered off limits. Both women were avid supporters of young men and

women, and carried the message of pride, dignity and excellence whenever they

spoke among their people.

Mrs. Marjorie S. Joyner was born October 24, 1896 in the Blue Ridge Mountains

of Virginia. She was the granddaughter of a slave and a slave owner. When she was a teenager, the family moved to Chicago, Illinois.

Mrs. Joyner developed an early interest in the beauty business and wanted to become a beautician. She attended and graduated from

the A.B. Molar Beauty School in 1916. She was the first black to graduate from the school. Three years later, Mrs. Joyner met Mad-

ame C.J. Walker and enrolled in one of her schools. She later went on to work for Madame Walker. One evening while cooking a pot

roast, Joyner looked at the long narrow rods that held the roast together and heated it internally. She reasoned that the same technique

could be used on hair. So she pursued the idea and invented the Permanent Waving Machine. She received the patent in 1928, while

working under Madame C.J. Walker, and her invention was used in Madame Walker’s

chain of beauty salons and schools. Mrs. Joyner also invented a hair protector to make

being under the machine more comfortable for the clients. Mrs. Joyner held important

positions in the Walker company. She was a member of the board of directors and vice

president of its nationwide chain of 200 salons.

In 1945, Mrs. Joyner and Mrs. Bethune co-founded the United Beauty School Owners

and Teacher’s Association, and the Alpha Chi Pi Omega beauticians Sorority and Frater-

nity, thus beginning a lifelong partnership and friendship. The association gave generously

to Bethune-Cookman College and the Foundation through their fundraising efforts. As

with Mrs. Bethune, Mrs. Joyner dedicated her life to serving others and promoting racial

and gender equality. As businesswomen, both of these ladies walked tall with their heads

held high, and could hold their own among giants. While Mrs. Bethune met and associated herself with several of the world’s elite

leaders, Mrs. Joyner also campaigned and rubbed shoulders with Nelson Rockefeller, while working on the Democratic National Com-

mittee.

She also styled hair for Black celebrities such as Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters and Marian Anderson. Both women shared a lasting

friendship with former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt., working with her on various projects.

Mrs. Bethune was known as the “First Lady of Negro America”, and Mrs. Joyner was called the “Grand Dame of Black Beauty Cul-

ture”. Mrs. Joyner later matriculated and graduated from Bethune-Cookman College in 1973, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree

in Psychology at the age of 77. Their friendship was one of respect and delight for the others causes and celebrations and lasted a life-

time!

can do with technology. We also cele-

brated throughout the month with

M&M Mondays by sharing little known

information about Dr. Bethune and

giving away free M&M’s to those who

came in for a tour. I hope you all took

advantage of the FREE candy! To close

the month, I was able to present at Hali-

fax Historical Museum with a lecture

titled “College Founder, Presidential

Advisor, Civil Rights Activist: Dr. Mary

McLeod Bethune, The First Lady of

Negro America” on February 28th. When-

ever possible it is still my goal to continue

to share with others just how magnificent

our Founder was and still is. Be on the look

out for a new exhibition titled “I Leave

You Love: The World’s Response to the

Lost of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune,” which

will be placed in our sunroom. Also, look

for upcoming details on the birthday cele-

brations for our illustrious Founder. Please

keep us in prayer and thanks for your con-

tinued support.

Dr. Ashley “Legend Keeper” Robertson

L e g e n d K e e p e r : A W o r d f r o m t h e C u r a t o r

P a g e 5

Greetings Bethunites!

I feel like it’s been ages since I wrote to

you all! Happy Black History Month,

and now Women’s History Month!

We’ve been super busy around here. In

February we hosted children from the

local community for our very first Books

and Bear’s program. They brought in

their teddy bears and we read books on

African American History and had a

special movie hour. We had a blast and

I think the children really enjoyed them-

selves. Special thanks to our partners

Swisher Library, the School of Educa-

tion and student organizations African

Student Association/National Council of

Negro Women. We were also able to

use technology to videoconference a

tour of the home to students in Broward

County at Lyons Creek Middle School.

Nearly 25 middle school students lis-

tened to a lecture about Dr. Bethune

and participated in a question and an-

swer session via Skype in honor of Black

History Month. We’re excited to be

able to reach students throughout the

state of Florida! It’s amazing what you

.

Page 6

Feature Article:

Honoring Her Legacy

I affectionately called Dr. Bethune’s home, the “Foundation or the “House,” when I worked

there from 1995-1998. I was first introduced to the school and Dr. Bethune, by my grandmother, the late Elnora

Sampson. She was a member of the Bethune Circle #1 started by Ada M. Lee. Ms. Lee’s daughter, Gertrude was a

teacher to three generations of women in my family, including myself. I set foot on the campus in 1994 and was given

a tour of the home and the moment I stepped in Dr. Bethune’s home, I knew I had to work there and become a stu-

dent at Bethune-Cookman.

In August of 1995 I officially became a “crab” (freshman) at Bethune-Cookman. During my first week of classes I ex-

citedly found my way to the Foundation and told the staff, I wanted to work there and I didn’t care if they paid me or

not. Eventually the staff told Mrs. Helen Bronson, Curator and wife of President Oswald P. Bronson, that although I

was not an official employee I came every day. Mrs. Bronson has told this story many times of how she would call and

I was always there. Eventually, I became a student volunteer and I loved every moment. I walked the path from Joyner

Hall past White Hall, Faith Hall, Ranslow Hall and through the back entrance past Dr. Bethune’s grave to the Foun-

dation so many times, I can’t recall how many. I met many remarkable people there, including the late Johnnie

Cochran, Rosa Parks and others.

Working at the Foundation allowed me the opportunity to fully embrace the love and the spirit of Dr. Bethune. I

could not help being persistent and dedicated to my work because of that spirit and presence I felt when I was working

in her home. After graduation, I left and didn’t consider a career in museums, but

instead attended law school. After realizing that becoming a lawyer was not what I

wanted for my life’s career, I pursued a graduate degree at Michigan State University.

During a research trip to five historic homes, I stumbled upon a book called Ameri-

can Historic Places: The African-American Experience and found that I was listed in

the acknowledgement page of the publication because of my assistance in the research

of Dr. Bethune’s home. That moment in 2003, I knew I had to pursue museum

work. My work eventually led me to start a blog and now a magazine, Heritage Salon,

dedicated to African American museums, cultural institutions and historic homes and

sites. Dr. Bethune’s legacy, spirit and motivation led me to begin Heritage Salon Mag-

azine which is the first and only publication dedicated to African American focused

institutions. I truly pay homage and dedicate my first issue to Dr. Mary McLeod Be-

thune, Mrs. Helen Bronson and Mrs. Margaret Symonette. Without the experiences I

gained from working at the Foundation, I am not sure Heritage Salon Magazine

would even exist today. I will forever honor the legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

With Museum Love,

Jada Wright-Greene

Founder, Editor and Publisher, Heritage Salon Magazine

“Dr. Bethune’s Daughter”

Greetings from the Council House (continued)

As we entered 2014, we saw a rise in our visitation as

well as our presence on social media. During Black

History Month, schools, churches and other groups and

organizations from all over the country, flocked to the

Council House to learn more about Dr. Bethune and

the role of the African American women during the

Civil Rights Movement. In addition, the Council House

sponsored a series of programs during the month

wherein Rangers went into local schools and libraries

and conducted lessons on Dr. Bethune and even a spe-

cial workshop on how to preserve family history.

March—- which is National Women’s History Month——

has been no different. We have been very busy and

have partnered with the Maggie L. Walker NHS, Clara

Barton NHS, and Harriet Tubman Underground Na-

tional Monument to celebrate these women of charac-

ter, courage, and commitment, and have even installed

a new exhibit entitled, “Women United! The Glue that

was Mary McLeod Bethune,” which focuses on the

work of Dr. Bethune and the three other women who

led the NCNW after her: Dr. Dorothy Boulding Fere-

bee, Mrs. Vivian Carter Mason, and Dr. Dorothy Irene

Height. Lastly, our Ticket To Ride Program, “Ticket

To Possibility: Mary McLeod Bethune’s Blueprint for

Success through Education,” which was made possible

by a grant from the National Park Foundation, is under-

way, and our Rangers continue to go into classrooms,

assisting teachers with lessons and curriculum-based

materials centered around Dr. Bethune, before bringing

them to the Council House for a tour and exposing

them to other important places and landmarks in

Washington D.C. related to the work of Dr. Bethune

and the NCNW. What an exciting time at the Council

House!

Page 7

If you are ever in the nation’s capital, feel free to

come and visit us at:

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National

Historic Site

1318 Vermont Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20005

Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

(202) 673-2402

Website: www.nps.gov/mamc

Follow us on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/NPS.MAMC

Follow us on twitter: @BethuneNHS

By: Mr. John T. Fowler

Bethune-Cookman University is an institution filled with rich history and

beloved traditions. From it's beginnings as a school for young African

American girls to its university status, B-CU prides itself with the com-

mitment to academic excellence and community service.

Founded by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune in 1904, Bethune-Cookman

University is an historically Black, United Methodist church related uni-

versity offering Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees. The mission is to

serve in the Christian tradition, the diverse educational, social and cultur-

al needs of the students, and to develop in them the desire and capacity

for continuous intellectual and professional growth, leadership and ser-

vice to others. The university has deep roots in the history of America,

and continues to provide services to the broader community through a

focus on service learning and civic engagement.

Thank you to the following contributing writers for their submissions in

our spring newsletter:

Greetings: Mr. John T. Fowler II, Park Guide and Volunteer Coordinator

at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House, National Historic Site. He

is currently a Master’s student in the Public History Program at Howard

University.

Historical Hot Topic: Valethia Watkins, Ph.D., JD

Director, Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate Program at Howard

University & Assistant Professor in the Department of Afro-American

Studies

Inside the Retreat: Ms. Dawn Gross, Assistant to the Curator

Feature Article: Jada Wright-Greene, Founder, Editor and Publisher Her-

itage Salon Magazine

Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation Newsletter

Dr. Ashley Robertson, Curator/Director/ Newsletter Editor

Ms. Dawn Gross, Assistant to the Curator/Co-Editor/Design Production

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 10a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays by appointment

386-481-2121/2122

mmbfoundation@cookman.edu

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mmbretreat

Enter To Learn, Depart To Serve

Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation

640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.

Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

“Next to God we are indebted to women, first “Next to God we are indebted to women, first

for life itself, and then for making it worth for life itself, and then for making it worth

living” living”

--Mary McLeod BethuneMary McLeod Bethune--

Page 8