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Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial

Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial is a bronze-cast statue by American sculptor Robert Berks honoring educator and activist Mary McLeod Bethune. It is located in Lincoln Park at East Capitol Street and 12th Street N.E. in Washington, D.C. Unveiled on July 10, 1974, the anniversary of Bethune’s 99th birthday, it was the first statue erected on public land in the city to honor both an African American and a woman. The sculpture shows an elderly Mrs. Bethune handing a scroll of her legacy to two young Black children while supporting herself with a cane that once belonged to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial bronze statue of Mary McLeod Bethune with two children reaching toward her.
The Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial shows Bethune standing with two children beside her on a pedestal at Lincoln Park.
© NPS Photo · Public domain
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial with a bronze statue of Mary McLeod Bethune and two children figures on a stone pedestal
The Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial features a bronze statue of Bethune with two child figures at the base.
© Tech. Sgt. Eric Miller · Public domain
Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial statue showing a woman with a cane and object facing two children on a stone base.
The Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial shows Bethune with two children in Lincoln Park.
© · Public domain
Rear view of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial bronze statue with the Emancipation Statue and Capitol dome in the background.
Rear view of the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial, with the Emancipation Statue and the Capitol dome visible in the distance.
· Public domain
Silhouetted figures stand against a purple-blue sky with the moon between them.
Silhouetted figures stand beneath a bright moon against a purple-blue sky.
February 2006 © · Public domain

Identification

TitleMary McLeod Bethune Memorial
TypeMemorial statue
Original-language nameMemorial Mary McLeod Bethune

Creator

ArtistRobert Berks

Historical context

HonoreeMary McLeod Bethune
Honoree occupationAmerican educator and activist

Physical characteristics

Depicted figureAn elderly Mary McLeod Bethune
Depicted actionBethune is shown handing a copy of her legacy to two young Black children
Depicted peopleTwo young Black children
Support objectA cane given to Bethune by Eleanor Roosevelt after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death in 1945

Materials

MaterialBronze
Plaque materialBronze

Discovery and provenance

Unveiling occasionBethune's 99th birthday anniversary
Unveiling attendanceMore than 18,000 people
Funding organizationNational Council of Negro Women
Unveiling dateJuly 10, 1974
Funding noteFunds for the monument were raised by the National Council of Negro Women, founded by Bethune in 1935

Location and ownership

LocationLincoln Park, at the corner of East Capitol Street and 12th Street NE, Washington, D.C.

Significance

Historical significanceFirst statue erected on public land in Washington, D.C. to honor both an African American and a woman

Other

Inscription on front bottom of dress© 73 Berks
Inscription on front of baseMARY McLEOD BETHUNE 1875 1955
Inscription in script on front of baseLet her works praise her
Bronze plaque inscription on front of baseERECTED JULY 10, 1974 BY THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN, INC. DOROTHY I. HEIGHT PRESIDENT
Bronze plaque inscription around sides of baseI LEAVE YOU LOVE. I LEAVE YOU HOPE. I LEAVE YOU THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE IN ONE ANOTHER. I LEAVE YOU A THIRST FOR EDUCATION. I LEAVE YOU A RESPECT FOR THE USE OF POWER. I LEAVE YOU FAITH. I LEAVE YOU RACIAL DIGNITY. I LEAVE YOU A DESIRE TO LIVE HARMONIOUSLY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEN. I LEAVE YOU FINALLY, A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. Mary McLeod Bethune (in script)