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HONORARY WASHINGTONIAN BETHUNE HONORED WITH STATUE IN CAPITOL
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statue with DC roots has been added to the National Statuary Hall inside the US Capitol. The newest installation was unveiled on July 13 and depicts civil rights activist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. The marble statue replaces a statue of a confederate man representing the state of Florida, but Bethune has deep and personal ties in the District.
An Honorary Washingtonian Bethune, widely known as a civil right activist, political advisor and educator, spent much of her time in Washington, DC. While her primary residence was in Florida, Bethune served as the President of the National Council of Negro Women, headquartered in the District, and as an advisor and close confi-
Great-great-great-nephew Maceo Thomas and greatgreat nieces Brenda Thomas (2nd from right) and Patricia Ross (far right) join other family to celebrate the unveiling of Mary McLeod Bethune statue in The Capitol. Photo: Ingrid Gavin
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by Sarah Payne dante to both President and Eleanor Roosevelt. Capitol Hill residents will already be familiar with Bethune since a statue honoring her efforts in education was erected at the east end of Lincoln Park in 1974. It was the first portrait statue to honor an African American and a woman on public land in Washington. On July 10, a celebration of Bethune’s 147th birthday took place beneath the towering park sculpture. At the event, current Chair and President of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Dr. Thelma Daley spoke of Bethune’s remarkable work in the District and referenced the statue unveiled in the US Capitol as a “majestic moment.” “This is a very special moment in American history as we honor Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune [who was] an unbelievable visionary, courageous and groundbreaking 20th century leader,” Daley said. While Bethune’s statue was placed in the Capitol as a representative from the state of Florida, her time in the District is significant to her work and her legacy. During a tour of the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (1318 Vermont Ave. NW), Park Ranger John Fowler highlighted Bethune’s important work in the District. “She came to Washington in 1935 working with the Roosevelt Administration, she became the first black woman to head a federal agency [division] in 1936, so for a period of time DC served as a base of her operations,” Fowler said. Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Bethune Director of the Division of Negro Affairs in the National Youth Administration. The house, now a National Historic Site, served as the headquarters of the NCNW as well as housing for African American women when they visited the District, a segregated city. Fowler noted that Bethune was also an early advocate for DC Statehood and was extremely involved in various communities around the District. “She was for all intents and purposes a DC resident,” Fowler said. “Mrs. Bethune fought for
Mary McLeod Bethune. Courtesy nps.org
DC Statehood back in the 1940s. [She] would have visited all of the public schools here in DC, she visited a lot of the black churches in the area, Howard University and so many other places here. There are so many places in DC that Mrs. Bethune was affiliated with.” Members of Bethune’s family gathered in Lincoln Park to honor her legacy. In fact, residents of the District are still discovering their connection to her today. Maceo Thomas, Bethune’s great-great-great-nephew, discovered his connection to Bethune last March through genealogical research. Thomas verified the connection through verification of census documents and said it has been an exciting experience to learn about Bethune and her vast array of accomplishments in civil rights and education.
The Statue The Capitol statue was created by Nilda Comas, a master sculptor who trained in marble carving in Italy. At the Lincoln Park celebration, Comas described
