Once hailed as the most influential black women in the United States, Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955) began her public career as a teacher in rural Florida, rising to an appointment in the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, where she assumed the role of advocate for a wide range of black interests. This volume explores the multi-faceted career of this important black leader in her roles as stateswoman, politician, educational leader, and social visionary. It offers a combination of original documentary sources and analysis of Bethune's life and work. The editors have selected more than 70 documents spanning 53 years of the public life of this remarkable woman. Included are letters, memoranda, position papers, newspaper columns, interviews, speeches, and minutes of meetings.