The Pride of Florida - Special Edition of EVOLVE Magazine

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DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE’S JOURNEY TO NATIONAL STATUARY HALL

STATUARY FUND AIMED HIGH, REACHED EVEN HIGHER WHAT IS NATIONAL STATUARY HALL?

CREATING A MASTERPIECE

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

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Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune is Here!

And She’s Magnificent!

Statue by Nilda Comas, Master Sculptor

A Historic and Momentous Occasion in the History of Florida.

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A Rose by Any Other Name Mary McLeod Bethune and the Black Velvet Rose

“I never saw a garden so beautiful, roses of all colors. And in the midst of the garden I saw a great big Black Velvet Rose. I never saw a Black Velvet Rose before and I said to myself, ‘Oh! This is the great interracial garden; this is the garden where we have people of all colors, all classes, all creeds.

People, every single one of them, getting their full chance to become the best they can become. This shall always be before me as a great Interracial Garden where men and women of all tongues, all nations, all creeds, all classes blend together helping to send out sunshine and love and peace and brotherhood that makes a better world in which to live.’”

— Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune

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Dr. Bethune saying goodbye to a group of students in front of White Hall after resigning as president of the college

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Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune: Representing the Best of Who We Are Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s journey to the National Statuary

“She became the highest ranking African-American,

Hall began in Mayesville, South Carolina, where she was born,

male or female, during the New Deal and no other African-

and runs through Daytona Beach, home of the university she

American had the kind of access to the President of the

founded. But her life’s influence spans the country, from the

United States that she did,” he said. “If you look at [the time]

Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama to the urban streets of Watts,

before the Roosevelt Administration, Blacks did not have

Detroit and from Harlem to small towns in the South where Jim

direct access to the President.”

Crow laws institutionalized the racism she battled all her life.

At the time of her death in 1955, a year after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling was handed down by the Supreme Court, Bethune was seen largely as an educator.

In an article in The Journal of Negro History, Elaine M. Smith succinctly captured that perception.

“More than anything else, in the public imagination Mary Bethune was most closely identified with education,” Smith wrote.

But Mary McLeod Bethune did more than create an institution of higher learning. And her journey to the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol was a long, determined march toward building a better world.

Historian Len Lempel, professor emeritus at Daytona State College, said Bethune doesn’t get the credit she deserves

Calling her “the most influential African-American of her day,” Lempel said Bethune was tremendously important to what was the beginning of the civil rights movement.

“Given her place of honor as one of the leading civil rights activists of her day, if not the leading activist of her day in terms of influence, what better person to represent Florida in the statuary hall,” he said.

Lempel said he is not surprised that Bethune received overwhelming support from the public to represent the Sunshine State in the U.S. Capitol.

“She has tremendous public popularity, and if you think of it, who else should go into the National Statuary Hall, which is sort of the People’s Gallery,” he said.

Lempel said those chosen to represent their states in the

because many of the watershed events in the history of the civil

National Statuary Hall should be popular in their home

rights movement – the Montgomery bus boycott, the Voting

states.

Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act – occurred after her death.

“In spite of all her influence, in spite of her successes, she could never break through in the sense the country remained

“I think that in itself is a good reason for Mary McLeod Bethune to be there, but not the only reason,” he said.

Lempel said in replacing Confederate States Army Gen.

segregated while she lived, except at the end of her life,” Lempel

Edmund Kirby Smith in the statuary hall, she is taking the

said. “Unfortunately the great successes of the late 50s and early

place of someone who spent very little time in the state “and

60s are seen as the heart of the movement. Everything changes,

really has no claim to any kind of fame” in Florida.

but what is ignored is the foundation that is laid by people like Mary McLeod Bethune and many others.”

While the great victories of the civil rights movement occurred after Bethune’s active career, Lempel said her long list of accomplishments are a testament to why she is the right choice to represent Florida in the statuary hall.

“But if you look at Mary McLeod Bethune, she spent almost her entire adult career in Daytona and she rose to local, state and national prominence, while maintaining a foothold in the state through her school,” he said.

State Representative Paul Renner, whose district includes Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties as well as northern SPECIAL EDITION | 3 |

Volusia County, said Bethune was the right choice for several

sessions,” he said. “That’s by design. Our system is set up for

reasons.

that so once we get it done, we get it done right.”

“I think that to me she represents what our country is about, which is opportunity,” he said. “She started with a very small amount of money and a mission to educate and provide a greater opportunity to African-American students in her area here in Florida and as a result that determined act led to the improvement of thousands of lives.”

Renner said the fact that the legislation to select Mary McLeod Bethune as one of Florida’s two representatives in the National Statuary Hall occurred over the course of several

And in the case of Mary McLeod Bethune that is exactly what happened.

“I think it’s really exciting,” Renner said. “She stands for a lot of what’s great about our country.”

The broad appeal of Bethune’s selection to represent Florida in the statuary hall is evident in the official announcement from Gov. Ron DeSantis, issued on her July 10 birthday, requesting her statue replace Smith’s.

“Florida is proud to commemorate the 144th anniversary

legislative sessions is not a reflection of any hesitancy on the

of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s birthday by sending our

part of legislators.

state’s formal request to place her statue in National Statuary

“Even on bills that ultimately pass unanimously, sometimes there is something new and sometimes it takes a couple of

Hall, making her the first African-American to have a statecommissioned statue,” DeSantis said in the release. “Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune was an influential educator, leader and civil rights activist who became one of Florida’s and our nation’s most influential leaders. Dr. Bethune’s statue will represent the best of who we are as Floridians to visitors from around the world to our nation’s capitol.

Her legacy endures and will continue to inspire future generations.”

The fact that Mary McLeod Bethune will be the first African American woman to represent a state in Statuary Hall is emblematic of her remarkable life, according to Dr. Michelle Carter, Executive Director of Vince Carter’s Embassy of Hope Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of Visions in Flight, Inc., and a member of the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund board.

“Dr. Bethune was an innovator,” Carter said. “She thought outside of the box and did not accept the status quo. She was a woman of great insight and seemed to ask why not instead of why.”

Carter said Bethune’s extraordinary life extended beyond Daytona Beach and Florida and her national prominence deserves to be recognized.

“Who could have fathomed that such a woman

Dr. Bethune leading a graduation procession at Bethune-Cookman College.

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could be an advisor to a sitting President of the United

Dr. Bethune meeting Harry S. Truman

States, be the co-founder of the United Negro College Fund, or

The Daytona Beach Evening News, forerunner of the

fight for women to be given opportunities to join the military,”

Daytona Beach News-Journal, remembered Bethune in 1955

Carter said. “Dr. Bethune had the audacity to believe that African

thusly: “To some she seemed unreal, something that could

American boys and girls should have the opportunity to be

not be… What right had she to greatness? The lesson of Mrs.

educated, just like other children that didn’t look like them,

Bethune’s life is that genius knows no racial barriers.”

because she knew education developed the head, the heart, and the hand.”

Carter said she is looking forward to seeing the statue and for others to have the opportunity before it is installed in the U.S. Capitol.

Her influence even echoed in the halls of Congress, where Rep. Adam Clayton Powell rose to speak about her the day after she died.

“We have truly lost one whose great and gentle influence has shaped our lives over many years,” he said. “The people

“The unveiling of the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune statues, both

of America have lost the keen mind, the rich wisdom and the

in Daytona Beach and in National Statuary Hall will be dynamic,

infinite courage of a woman who has contributed so much to

unifying, and historic, not only for the greater Daytona Beach

her country. The life of Mary McLeod Bethune will forever

community, but for Florida and the United States,” she said.

serve the people of the United States as a profound source of

When Bethune died, newspapers around the country memorialized her and recognized her contributions to American society.

“So great was her dynamism and force that it was impossible to resist her … Not only her own people but all of America has

inspiration.”

Perhaps Bethune’s most poignant legacy is to be found in her own words, delivered at a Women’s Leadership Conference in 1952: “Let us build the world of our dreams. A world with

been enriched and ennobled by her courageous, ebullient spirit,”

freedom blessed. The world with justice at its heart. To hope

wrote The Washington Post.

and love addressed. A world that cares.”

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THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Mary McLeod Bethune Gets Statewide Support for

W

Place in National Statuary Hall

hen the Great Floridians Ad Hoc Committee of the

total of 130 names met the eligibility requirements for consideration,

Florida Division of Historical Resources met in June

including Dr. Bethune, who was nominated by 1,237 of the nearly

of 2016 to select candidates to represent Florida in the

3,200 people responding to the public comment request.

National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol the list of names under consideration was long. But one stood out.

“I am representing more than 14,000 graduates of BethuneCookman University,” said Daisy Grimes, then a B-CU employee and one of three people to speak in support of Mary McLeod Bethune at

Dr. Timothy Parsons, director of the Division of Historical Resources of the Florida Department of State, moderated the meeting and outlined the process to place a new statue in the U.S. Capitol to represent Florida.

“This is the first part of the process,” he said at the 2016 meeting,

the meeting. “I am so pleased that Mary McLeod Bethune is on this

referring to the selection of three names to be submitted to the

list.”

Florida Legislature for consideration. The second part of the process

The list Grimes referred to was a long one, with 259 unique names submitted through a public comment period to replace the statue of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith in Washington D.C. A

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would be choosing a sculptor to create the piece.

Parsons said while the selection of the person to be honored did not require public comment, state officials decided to take the step.

“We wanted to make a good faith effort to allow the committee to consider the views of the public in making their decision,” he said.

Parsons said the public comment phase offered residents five opportunities to submit input, including an online survey and through emails or letters. Respondents were asked to identify their nominee and include the person’s area of influence, how that person made a significant contribution to the state, whether they were making the nomination as an individual or member of an organization, and their county of residence. However, other than submitting a name, the additional questions were optional. The state received a total of 3,587 submissions from the public.

For Grimes, the influence of Mary McLeod Bethune and her legacy were clear.

“She represents the epitome of what we are as Floridians,” she said.

Reading from Bethune’s “Last Will and Testament,” written a few years before her death in 1955, Grimes highlighted the educator and civil rights leader’s lasting contributions to the state of Florida and the

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune

nation.

One section illustrates Bethune’s ability to combine her idealism

“Today thousands of visitors come to Daytona to visit her home

for building a better world with the realities of American society in the

and walk in the steps of a legendary woman,” Robertson said. “This

mid-20th century.

is an opportunity for Florida to recognize a woman who is often not

“I leave you a respect for the use of power. We live in a world that respects power above all things. Power intelligently directed can lead

given her proper place in history.”

Robertson said inclusion of the statue of Mary McLeod Bethune

to more freedom. Unwisely directed it can be a dreadful, destructive

is important beyond recognizing and commemorating her legacy,

force,” Bethune wrote.

saying many of the statues currently on display in the National

Grimes said Bethune’s words still resonate with students, faculty

Statuary Hall “do not reflect the diversity of our nation” and the

and alumni at the university she founded and remain an important

nomination of Bethune “is an opportunity for Florida to make history

message for society today.

by becoming the first state to honor an African-American for this

“We consider it a document to live by today,” she said. “What a better place it is because she lived.”

Ashley Robertson, former curator of the Mary McLeod Bethune home in Daytona Beach and currently a member of the faculty in

collection.”

Bethune’s nomination also received support from the Ad Hoc committee itself during the meeting.

Major Gen. Michael A. Calhoun, at the time Adjutant General

African-American Studies at the University of Florida, also spoke

of Florida in command of the Florida National Guard and member

at the Ad Hoc committee meeting in support of Dr. Bethune’s

of the Ad Hoc committee, said Bethune’s life and legacy are as

nomination.

important as ever.

“Her school became a beacon of hope,” Robertson said.

“What she did is relevant to today,” he said. “During that period

“She utilized her school as a space against the vicious policies of

of time when we still had segregation, what she brought to education,

segregation by hosting Sunday community meetings in which whites

in the state of Florida and the United States as a whole, still echoes.”

and Blacks came together to enjoy the arts. In that instance, she effectively brought integration to this state well before the civil rights movement.”

Robertson said Bethune’s legacy continues to attract attention and visitors to Florida.

Calhoun said while many are aware of Bethune’s story, it is one that is important to continue telling.

“Even though she has accumulated a number of awards, I am not sure we recognize her enough here in the State of Florida in the manner in which she should be historically noted,” he said.

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The Blessing Ceremony in Pietrasanta, Italy

B

Statuary Fund Aimed High, Reached Even Higher

efore members of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund gathered to kick off the campaign to raise money for the placement of a statue of the revered educator and civil rights icon in the U.S. Capitol, the goal to raise $400,000 might have seemed a tall order. But by the time the event on April 18, 2018, was over, Nancy Lohman already knew it would be a success.

“It was a beautiful ceremony,” said Lohman, president of the Statuary Fund. “It ended up being as inspirational an event as I have ever attended.”

Lohman was not the only one inspired by the mission to make the dream of Bethune’s inclusion in the National Statuary Hall a reality. Eager donors stood up and opened their hearts and their checkbooks.

“There was actually a receiving line of checks being presented to us,” Lohman said. “I think [at] that moment in time we raised $126,000. It was incredible. I knew from the very beginning of our efforts that raising $400,000 would not be a heavy lift.”

In fact, the response to the campaign kickoff was so overwhelming, Statuary Fund board members decided to up the ante and set a higher fundraising goal for the creation of a second statue, a bronze likeness of the marble piece destined for Washington D.C., to become part of the Riverfront Esplanade Park project on Beach Street.

“Commissioning the bronze statue was an additional $150,000 that we agreed should be raised so that the city of Daytona Beach could celebrate Mary McLeod Bethune and champion efforts to showcase her extraordinary life,” Lohman said.

But the fundraising effort didn’t stop there. Lohman said her | 8 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE

board committed to raising another $150,000 to create a featurelength documentary and K-12 curriculum module highlighting the life and legacy of Dr. Bethune as told through the symbolism of the statue. They enthusiastically expanded their vision again with an additional $100,000 to host the statue in an exhibit in Daytona Beach prior to her placement in the U.S. Capitol. In total, they will raise more than $800,000 to provide the total scope of the statuary project.

Finding the time in her already busy schedule to take on the task of raising money for a project that hit close to home but would be realized far away was an easy choice for Lohman.

“I feel that this is one of the best contributions I could ever make with my time,” she said. “It is a way I can help create an appreciation for the significance of Mary McLeod Bethune’s lifelong work as a remarkable civil rights leader and educator, and personally support our continued focus on moving social justice forward.”

Bob Lloyd, who serves as vice chairman of the Statuary Fund board, shares Lohman’s passion for the project.

“This was a historic project that could not possibly fail,” he said. “Without state funding and with her namesake university struggling financially, the Mary McLeod Bethune statue project had its challenges. But the upside potential of giving this internationally respected leader, who called Daytona Beach home, a permanent place of recognition in the U.S. Capitol representing the State of Florida was easy to visualize.”

Lloyd said despite the challenge of fundraising in general he was confident the effort would succeed.

“We live in a great community,” he said. “While our

community may have its challenges and struggles, we care for each other and the legacy we leave for future generations.”

For Lohman and the other members of the Statuary Fund board, the selection of Mary McLeod Bethune to represent the State of Florida in the National Statuary Hall is about more than just honoring Bethune’s legacy but carries significant meaning and purpose as the nation continues to struggle with issues of race, class and gender.

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry who serves as a statuary fund board member concurs. “This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in her words, to allow yourself to learn from her experiences,” he said. “Learn from the things she overcame.

When you find yourself in a moment where you are challenged, look back to how she did it.”

“Mary McLeod Bethune inspires us to build a better world,” Lohman said. “Her statue reminds us that representation matters, and her story reminds us to never underestimate our ability to make a difference. She was one of the greatest Floridians in our history.”

Lohman and her fellow board members see the decision by the State of Florida to replace the statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith with one of Bethune as more than a celebration of inclusion and an acknowledgment of the famed educator’s impact on the community. It is a teachable moment as well.

To that end, the creation of the documentary and school curriculum will provide students from kindergarten through high school the opportunity to learn about Mary McLeod Bethune.

“The statue allows us to tell the story of Mary McLeod Bethune through its symbolism,” Lohman said. “Every child growing up needs to learn about Mary McLeod Bethune.”

Lohman said the chance to tell Bethune’s story to a new generation is timelier than ever today.

“We have this beautiful opportunity to focus on telling the story of Mary McLeod Bethune and learn from her lifetime achievements. The symbolism of Dr. Bethune in a cap and gown

represents her value of education, the cane FDR presented to her represents her commitment to advancing opportunities for African Americans and women, the stack of books each sculpted with a different tenant of her last will and testament speak to her core values. The black rose symbolizes her belief that “loving thy neighbor” means interracial, inter-religious and international brotherhood and her facial expression captures her determined yet gentle demeanor,” she said.

For Lloyd, the impact of the Statuary Fund effort goes beyond Daytona Beach and Florida.

“I believe the statue does not just honor the life and legacy of Dr. Bethune,” he said. “It also represents what we value in ourselves as citizens of Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida and the United States of America. Mary McLeod Bethune represents the best of us and what we aspire to be.”

On March 19, 2018, Governor Rick Scott signed the law requesting the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress to approve the replacement of the statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith in the National Statuary Hall Collection with a statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statue is temporarily on display at the News-Journal Center at Daytona State College co-hosted by several organizations including Bethune-Cookman University.

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Creating a Masterpiece Nilda Comas Brings Special Talent to Mary McLeod Bethune Project

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Nilda Comas standing next to the statue in her studio

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ost people never get a chance to make history even once in their lives. For Nilda Comas, that chance has come not once, but twice. The Puerto Rican-born artist is the first Hispanic sculptor chosen to create a piece for the National Statuary Hall, and her subject, Mary McLeod Bethune, will be the first African-American woman to represent a U.S. state in the gallery in the U.S. Capitol.

“It was about time,” Comas said in an interview produced by local insurance giant Brown & Brown highlighting the effort to honor Bethune. “It’s about time that a woman would be in the National Statuary Hall and an African-American, and I will be the first Hispanic sculptor. It is very exciting.”

In the video, Comas said she was one of 1,600 applicants who responded to a call for artists from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. And of the 10 finalists selected, she was the only female artist.

“I was the only one who could work in marble or bronze,” she said. “And I didn’t know who I was going to sculpt at the time. I knew that to be in the Capitol and (the) highest honor in history has been to do a sculpture in marble at the National Statuary Hall.”

Her excitement at the prospect of taking such a highprofile commission only increased when she learned her subject would be Mary McLeod Bethune.

“I was excited,” she said. “I wanted to learn everything about her.”

Comas said she traveled to Bethune’s birthplace in Mayesville, South Carolina and visited the Daytona Beach campus of Bethune-Cookman University as well as the Library of Congress.

“I studied 284 photographs (of Bethune) and I got to study as much as I could and meet people that knew her,” she said. “The more I knew about her the more excited I was about doing her sculpture.”

With such a prestigious assignment, Comas knew exactly where she needed to go to create the statue and where to find the perfect piece of marble: Pietrasanta, Italy. The town,

Pictured is a piece of marble culled from the same Tuscan quarry Michelangelo used for his masterpiece statue of David around the year 1500.

located on the coast of northern Tuscany near the foothills of the Italian Alps, boasts some of the finest marble available in the world.

“It is the best type of marble in the world,” she said. “What makes it unique is it is compact and you can get a lot of detail.

It is easier to carve and it also has the most light. It’s like little crystals so when the light shines on it, it looks like the light is coming from inside.” It’s why Michelangelo and many other famous sculptors have chosen to work with marble from the area. Comas said she has worked in a studio in Pietrasanta for years and was lucky to be able to find a suitable piece of marble to work with.

“The pieces are (usually) so small,” she said. “They haven’t seen a piece that size in 30 years. But I got a call and they came up with the piece.”

While most people think sculptors dive into their work with hammer and chisel to carve a sculpture out of the rock, the process is a lot more intricate and time consuming than that.

Comas said the preparations for carving the masterpiece involved the creation of four clay models, the first of which was a 1-foot version she made in her studio in Fort Lauderdale.

“I took that 1-foot sculpture to Italy and enlarged it to 2 feet,” she said.

A 4-foot version followed and then an 8-foot version, which served as the model for the marble piece.

“I actually made four sculptures,” Comas said. From there, the laborious process of transferring the clay model to marble began.

Unlike some sculptors, Comas said she follows the classical method of carving, rather than using a robot. “I spent 10 years learning how to transfer into marble with the old system,” she said.

In addition to carving the marble piece that will be on display in the U.S. Capitol, Comas created a bronze statue that will become a centerpiece of the Riverfront Esplanade Park project on Beach Street in Daytona Beach.

“The bronze is going to have more texture than the marble because it will be outside and catch the light better. It’s going to be beautiful to see it outside in the park,” she said. “It’s a whole different process and also it will look different. They are both unique in their own ways.”

Bronze statue to display at Riverfront Esplanade Park in Daytona Beach

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What Is National

T

he National Statuary Hall is one of the most popular

changing the seating arrangement proved unsuccessful, forcing the

rooms in the U.S. Capitol building, visited by

construction of a new hall for the House of Representatives.

thousands of tourists every day and used occasionally

for ceremonial events. But when it was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe – and rebuilt by Latrobe and his successor Charles

House members moved into their new home in 1857, leaving the old space empty.

While Americans were busy with westward expansion and

Bullfinch after it was destroyed by British troops in 1814 – it was

growing the nation, the fate of the vacant hall was uncertain,

meant for an entirely different purpose.

according to the Architect of the Capitol website. Suggestions for

The chamber that today houses the collection of statues

new uses included using the space for the Library of Congress,

contributed by the 50 states was first used as the chamber of the

which at that time was housed in the Capitol building. Another

House of Representatives. But the sweeping architecture, built in

idea was to replace the hall with two floors of committee rooms.

the shape of an ancient amphitheater with a smooth, curved ceiling

It was Representative Justin S. Morrill from Vermont, one of the

did not provide the proper acoustics necessary to conduct the

founders of the Republican Party and author of the Morrill Land-

nation’s business.

Grant Acts that established many of the country’s public colleges

According to the Architect of the Capitol website, the federal agency that oversees the Capitol building and grounds, the

and universities, who had a better idea.

Morrill posed the question: “To what end more useful or grand,

classical design of the hall created “annoying echoes” that made

and at the same time simple and inexpensive, can we devote (the

debate difficult. Attempts to dampen the noise with draperies or

chamber) than to ordain that it shall be set apart for the reception

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Statuary Hall?

Courtesy of the Architect of the Capitol

of such statuary as each state shall elect to be deserving of in this

areas of the Capitol and limited each state to only one statue in

lasting commemoration?”

Statuary Hall. Future rearrangements of the statues would be

His colleagues agreed and the proposal to create a National Statuary Hall became law on July 2, 1864.

The legislation called for the states “to provide and furnish

made over the years to accommodate the growing number of states represented, with statues distributed to various areas of the Capitol, including the connecting corridors of the House and

statues, in marble or in bronze, not exceeding two in number for

Senate wings and the Capitol Visitor Center. By 1971 all 50 states

each state, of deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and

had contributed at least one statue and by 1990 all but five states

illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or

had sent two statues to be placed in the Capitol.

military services such as each state may deem to be worthy of this

According to the Architect of the Capitol website, each statue is

national commemoration,” according to the Architect of the Capitol

a gift of a state and the selection process usually begins in the state

website.

legislature. When the donated statue arrives in Washington D.C.

The idea was so popular that it was not long before the National Statuary Hall became overcrowded with pieces. By 1933 there were 65 statues on display, in some places standing three

it is placed in a location specified by the Joint Committee on the Library.

Care and preservation of the statuary is the responsibility of

deep, and concerns were raised about the ability of the structure to

the Architect of the Capitol. The agency’s Curator Division is also

support the weight of any additional statues.

involved in the evaluation of new statues as well as when a state

A House resolution called for the relocation of statues to other

decides to replace an existing piece in the collection.

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Journey to S

1

First Steps In March of 2016, Gov. Rick Scott signed a law to replace the statue of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, which had been donated to the U.S. Capitol for display in Statuary Hall in 1922, with a new “Great Floridian.”

The search for a new sculpture was conducted by the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, which reviewed 3,587 submissions. The list was narrowed to 130 eligible names, including Mary McLeod Bethune, who received 1,233 votes, easily outpacing the second-place subject which received 447 votes.

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2 Fundraising Effort In late 2018, the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, Inc., was formed to raise private funds for the statuary project. Nearly 400 individual donors have contributed to the effort.

Statuary Hall Occupying the space originally used as the chamber for the House of Representatives, the National Statuary Hall was created after Congress invited each of the states to contribute two statues of prominent citizens for permanent display. Initially all of the contributed statues were housed in the space, as the collection grew more space was needed. In 1933 Congress authorized the display of the statues throughout the Capitol. It is one of the most popular rooms in the U.S. Capitol Building, with thousands of visitors passing through every day.

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In addition to raising funds for the marble statue which will be placed in National Statuary Hall, the Board expanded the fundraising effort and commissioned a bronze statue of Mary Mcleod Bethune from the same maquette to be displayed in Riverfront Esplanade Park in downtown Daytona Beach, Florida. They broadened their vision and fundraising to include a feature-length documentary and K-12 curriculum module, the sponsorship of five B-CU graduates to perform at the blessing ceremony of the statue in Pietrasanta, Italy and the temporary exhibit of the marble statue in Daytona Beach, Florida prior to the permanent placement in the U.S. Capitol.

tatuary Hall

5

From Marble to Masterpiece Artist Nilda Comas is the first Hispanic Master Sculptor selected to create a statue for the National Statuary Hall State Collection. She was selected after a national search and was chosen from a field of 1,600 applicants.

She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the New York Academy and studied at the Accademia di Belli Arte in Carrara, Italy.

Comas began with intensive research at the Congressional Archives, the State of Florida Archives and Bethune-Cookman University.

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Michelangelo’s Gift

6

Cut from the Italian Alps and quarries above Pietrasanta, Italy, the piece of marble used by artist Nilda Comas represents the largest – and last – piece of statuary marble from the quarry.

The marble from the quarries is the same used by Michelangelo to create his famous statue of David. It is said Michelangelo himself opened the caves in the mountains that had been abandoned by the ancient Romans to find the marble.

The Pride of Florida The finished statue will be displayed at the News-Journal Center in Daytona Beach before departing for permanent placement in the U.S. Capitol in late 2021.

The Mary McLeod Bethune statue will represent Florida in the National Statuary Hall State Collection along with the Sunshine State’s other statue, one of Dr. John Gorrie, considered the father of refrigeration and air-conditioning who has represented Florida since 1914.

The Capitol unveiling is expected to take place in early 2022. A bronze replica will be displayed in the Riverfront Esplanade Park in Daytona Beach also in early 2022.

SPECIAL EDITION | 15 |

FROM THE PUBLISHERS

O

™

n behalf of the EVOLVE

Magazines Florida Team, we want to share our

a special commemorative edition of

collective honor in publishing this special edition of EVOLVE – The

Pride of Florida. Every member of our EVOLVE team contributed to

this effort because we had a shared passion for what this edition is about – celebrating Dr. Mary

McLeod Bethune, an exceptional

American and the placement of her statue at Statuary Hall!

When we began to think

through how we wanted to

contribute to this historic occasion, we had a much narrower scope in

mind––a special edition of EVOLVE, targeted to our subscribers, advertisers and to African American communities and churches in Flagler and Volusia Counties. But John Guthrie, VP of Communications at Halifax Health,

and a true partner, had a larger vision. John felt the occasion warranted a

commemorative publication that would be distributed more widely when the statue was exhibited here in Florida. He introduced us to Nancy Lohman and

PUBLISHER Howard M. Holley Dr. Barbara C. Holley

EDITOR Nancy Lohman John Guthrie

AUTHOR & MANAGING EDITOR Aaron London

TOUCHPOINT MEDIA EDITORIAL TEAM Jeanne Coates Jennifer Gravel Elesha Mavromattis

ART DIRECTOR Leslie Proctor

as they say… the rest is history, or in this case it is literally in your hands.

At an EVOLVE team meeting we brainstormed a title for this publication.

As part of that discussion, we explored why this publication was important.

What resonated with all of us was the significance of this event––not just to

CONTACT US Editor@evolvemagazineflorida.com

Bethune-Cookman University staff, faculty, or alumni, not just to the Daytona Beach community or Volusia County but in fact to every Floridian and the

nation. When we talk about the American spirit and resourcefulness, Mary McLeod Bethune embodies it. When we talk about driving change against overwhelming odds, we are talking about Mary McLeod Bethune. Her

contributions are truly exceptional and a lesson to all of us even today. Clearly, she is The Pride of Florida!

This publication, which was written by Aaron London, is not where you will

learn all you need to know about Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. In fact, this issue is simply meant to commemorate this significant event, her statue being exhibited

Scan the QR code to access THE PRIDE OF FLORIDA digital or visit EvolveMagazinesFlorida.com / ThePrideofFlorida

here in Florida and ultimately unveiled at the U.S. Capitol. But if you become as

intrigued and inspired as we have, you may be compelled to learn more. Visit our website www.EvolveMagazinesFlorida.com/ThePrideofFlorida to find references and resources.

A special thank you to the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Fund, Inc

EVOLVE is published four times per year.

EvolveMagazinesFlorida.com by

board, donors, supporters, co-hosts and others whose contributions have made this “Journey to the National Statuary Hall” a reality. We are proud to have been a part of the team.

TouchPoint Innovative Solutions

HOWARD M. HOLLEY

CEO & Publisher EVOLVE Magazine

DR. BARBARA C. HOLLEY

President & Editor PARENT Magazine

| 16 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE

All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the express written consent of the publisher. TouchPoint Innovative Solutions assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. © 2021 TouchPoint Innovative Solutions. All rights reserved.

THE COMMUNITY JOINED HANDS! MAJOR DONORS

BOARD OFFICERS

$50,000 and Greater B-CU National Alumni Association Brown & Brown, Inc. Daytona Beach Racing and Recreation Facilities District Florida Blue Nancy & Lowell Lohman

NANCY LOHMAN

ROBERT W. LLOYD, ESQ. Brown & Brown, Inc.

MARY GREENLEES

$25,000 and Greater City of Daytona Beach Florida Health Care Plans ICI Homes Connie & Glenn Ritchey

Olivari & Associates, CPA’s and consultants

BOARD MEMBERS

JENNIFER ADAMS

Bethune-Cookman University

JIM CAMERON

Jim Cameron Consulting LLC

DR. MICHELLE V. CARTER Embassy of Hope Foundation

KATHY CROTTY, ESQ.

DR. JOYCE M. CUSACK

DANIELLE GARRETT

THE HONORABLE DERRICK HENRY

SHERRI LLOYD

NELLIE H. LUPOLI

DR. HIRAM POWELL

THE HONORABLE BILLIE WHEELER

Cobb Cole Attorneys at Law

Former Florida State Legislator

City of Daytona Beach

Bethune-Cookman University

Volusia County

Brown & Brown, Inc.

ICI Homes

GLENDA NOEL-NEY

Bethune-Cookman University, Ex-Officio Member

$10,000 and Greater Cici & Hyatt Brown Florida Power & Light Company Andrea & Larry Frank Mary & Jim Greenlees Lynn & Len Lempel Sandra & Robert F. Lloyd Sherri & Robert W. Lloyd Jennifer & Len Marinaccio The Honorable Belvin Perry Jill Simpkins $5,000.00 and Greater Jeffrey Alexander B-CU Board of Visitors 2017-2018 B-CU Student Government Association Nancy & Powell Brown Dr. Michelle V. Carter Vince Carter Phyllis & E. LaBrent Chrite Cobb Cole PA Doran Sims Wolfe & Yoon Florida Transportation Builders' Association Dr. Jason E. Glenn Halifax Health Foundation Joni Hunt Kathy Ippolito Martha Korman-Zumwalt Glenn Lochrie Susan Lochrie Harold Lucas Joyce and Thomas Moorehead Foundation Picerne Development Jill Stephens Sheldon Wilson Remaining Contributions More than 330 additional donors have given generously

WILL YOU JOIN US? NILDA COMAS

Master Sculptor, Legacy Art Studio, Ex-Officio Member

www.mmbstatue.org : mmbstatue

EMAIL: dgarrett@bbins.com : mmbstatue

Explore More About Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Visit

Tour the home of Dr. Bethune 640 Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Reflect

View the burial site and memorial of Dr. Bethune Bethune-Cookman University campus in Daytona Beach, Florida

Learn