These records were created by Bethune-Cookman University

On October 4, 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune founded what is today Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Having realized that the young children of African-American laborers who worked on Florida's railroads had no opportunities to receive an education, Mary McLeod Bethune rented a small house on Oak Street, the site of the annual fall Oak Street Pilgrimage, to educate those children. The university's first incarnation was the Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Girls, a name it held until Cookman Institute became incorporated into the school in 1923. After the merger, the school became known as Bethune-Cookman College, and for most of its existence has been known as such. In 2007, Bethune-Cookman College received its accreditation as a university from the Southern Assocation of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Bethune-Cookman University was also funded by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and religion played an important role in not only in Mary McLeod Bethune's life but also in the lives of her staff and students. Sunday community meetings were held every week not only for the university but also for the community. Mary McLeod Bethune was born in 1875, died in 1955, and is interred on campus. Her home, Bethune House, and her gravesite are recognized as United Methodist Historic Sites.

Each year, around October 4, the faculty and students hold a Founder's Day celebration, which is when the college rededicates itself to the fundamental purpose of the institution. The mission of the university is to provide quality and dynamic instruction in academics, while remaining focused on leadership and service, following the goals Mary McLeod Bethune set for her institution.

In its earliest days, the university offered high school and undergraduate courses. In addition, Mary McLeod Bethune began Keyser Elementary to educate young boys and girls, and the elementary school's namesake, Frances Reynolds Keyser, served as head administrator. As well as providing an academic edcuation, the university also offered vocational training in many trades, such as broom-making, automotive repair, radio repair, and agriculture, which included raising crops and livestock. Extracurricular activities include the noted Bethune-Cookman Choir, as well as Wildcats athletics. Since the school's founding, fraternities and sororities have consistently played a major role in student and campus life.

The university has had five presidents, with the first being its founder, Mary McLeod Bethune (1904-1942). In 1942, James A. Colston took on the role. After his resignation in 1946, Mary McLeod Bethune served as an interim president until Richard Vernon Moore was appointed (1947-1975). Moore is also interred on campus. Following him, Oswald Perry Bronson served from 1975-2004, and today's president, Trudie Kibbe Reed, is the first female president since Mary McLeod Bethune. Three sites at the university are recognized as National Historic Landmarks: Bethune House, Mary McLeod Bethune's gravesite, and Thomas White Hall.

From the guide to the Bethune-Cookman University Booklet Collection, 1937-1968, 1937-1968, (University Archives, Carl S. Swisher Library, )

On October 4, 1904, Mary McLeod Bethune founded what is today Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Having realized that the young children of African-American laborers who worked on Florida's railroads had no opportunities to receive an education, Mary McLeod Bethune rented a small house on Oak Street, the site of the annual fall Oak Street Pilgrimage, to educate those children. The university's first incarnation was the Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Girls, a name it held until Cookman Institute became incorporated into the school in 1923. After the merger, the school became known as Bethune-Cookman College, and for most of its existence has been known as such. In 2007, Bethune-Cookman College received its accreditation as a university from the Southern Assocation of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Bethune-Cookman University was also funded by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and religion played an important role in not only in Mary McLeod Bethune's life but also in the lives of her staff and students. Sunday community meetings were held every week not only for the university but also for the community. Mary McLeod Bethune's home, Bethune House, and her gravesite are recognized as United Methodist Historic Sites.

Each year, around October 4, the faculty and students hold a Founder's Day celebration, which is when the college rededicates itself to the fundamental purpose of the institution. The mission of the university is to provide quality and dynamic instruction in academics, while remaining focused on leadership and service, following the goals Mary McLeod Bethune set for her institution.

In its earliest days, the university offered high school and undergraduate courses. In addition, Mary McLeod Bethune began Keyser Elementary to educate young boys and girls, and the elementary school's namesake, Frances Reynolds Keyser, served as head administrator. As well as providing an academic edcuation, the university also offered vocational training in many trades, such as broom-making, automotive repair, radio repair, and agriculture, which included raising crops and livestock. Extracurricular activities include the noted Bethune-Cookman Choir, as well as Wildcats athletics. Since the school's founding, fraternities and sororities have consistently played a major role in student and campus life.

The university has had five presidents, with the first being its founder, Mary McLeod Bethune (1904-1942). In 1942, James A. Colston took on the role. After his resignation in 1946, Mary McLeod Bethune served as an interim president until Richard Vernon Moore was appointed (1947-1975). Following him, Oswald Perry Bronson served from 1975-2004, and today's president, Trudie Kibbe Reed, is the first female president since Mary McLeod Bethune. Both Mary McLeod Bethune and Richard Vernon Moore are interred on the BCU campus. Three sites at the university are recognized as National Historic Landmarks: Bethune House, Mary McLeod Bethune's gravesite, and Thomas White Hall.

From the guide to the Bethune-Cookman University Photograph Collection, 1895-1980, 1920-1970, (University Archives, Carl S. Swisher Library, )