EVOLVE Business and Entrepreneur Magazine First Coast Region - October 2021 | Page 36

DR . MARY Innovator

Dr . Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt , right
Dr . Mary McLeod Bethune

Dr . Mary McLeod Bethune was never one to shy away from a challenge . As an African American woman living at the turn of the 19th century , Dr . Bethune faced a tremendous amount of adversity and setbacks , which she met with a fierce entrepreneurial spirit and a knack for innovative thought . To this day , her legacy resonates throughout the Daytona Beach area .

“ The spiritual and educational creed expressed in Dr . Bethune ’ s life and in her ‘ Last Will and Testament ,’ reflect the core ideas that guide Daytona Beach ,” said Mayor Derrick Henry . “ Her legacy challenges us to live out our values both individually and collectively . She serves as the moral compass that binds us together and inspires us to reach for our destiny .”
Although Dr . Bethune is best known as an educator , public figure in government , and Black women ’ s club activist , she was also a successful businesswoman , who made a substantial impact on the economic success of early Daytona Beach . Her personal and financial investments not only laid a foundation of success for others but also ensured fiscal security for her and her family .
And like the other aspects of her life , Dr . Bethune ’ s entrepreneurial spirit centered on improving the lives of those in Black communities . In addition to establishing businesses to serve the people , she also invested in businesses . Here is a look at some of her more lucrative efforts .
Insurance Business
Dr . Bethune played a notable role in the insurance business in North Central and Central Florida . Noting the lack of insurance companies catering specifically to the Black community , Dr . Bethune lent her support to two companies , according to historical accounts .
Dr . Bethune held capital stock in the Afro-American Life Insurance Company of Jacksonville and is noted as a cofounder of the Central Life Insurance Company of Tampa . Her association with Central Life Insurance began in 1923 ,
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