Additional information
by Ashley Robertson Preston (Author)
Highlighting Bethune's global activism and
her connections throughout the African diaspora
book examines the pan-Africanism of Mary McLeod Bethune through her work, which
internationalized the scope of Black women's organizations to create solidarity
among Africans throughout the diaspora. Broadening the familiar view of Bethune
as an advocate for racial and gender equality within the United States, Ashley
Preston argues that Bethune consistently sought to unify African descendants around
the world with her writings, through travel, and as an advisor.
Preston
shows how Bethune's early involvement with Black women's organizations created
personal connections across Cuba, Haiti, India, and Africa and shaped her
global vision. Bethune founded and led the National Council of Negro Women, which
strengthened coalitions with women across the diaspora to address issues in
their local communities. Bethune served as director of the Division of Negro
Affairs for the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, and later as associate
consultant for the United Nations alongside W.E.B. DuBois and Walter White, using
her influence to address diversity in the military, decolonization, suffrage,
and imperialism. Mary McLeod Bethune the
Pan-Africanist provides a fuller, more accurate understanding of Bethune's
work, illustrating the perspective and activism behind Bethune's much-quoted
words: "For I am my mother's daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my
heart." Publication
of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American
Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Number of Pages: 216
Dimensions: 0.49 x 9 x 6 IN
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
