Mary McLeod Bethune's Research Agenda: Thought Translated

Stephanie Y. Evans, Ph.D.,

African American Studies,

Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research,

Florida State University

Abstract

This article presents Mary McLeod Bethune’s educational philosophy and demonstrates the significance of historic ideas to contemporary research agendas. Bethune is usually recognized as an administrator or political figure; in this article, the author situates her as a scholar with clear and applicable ideas about educational research. Bethune’s work suggests that scholars should produce research with four tenants in mind: cultural heritage, Christian morality, democratic civil rights, and advancement of graduate and professional training for community leadership. The author argues that Bethune’s research agenda for higher education can guide contemporary academics toward much needed practical applications for longstanding social justice issues, contrasting black women’s academic tradition with the historic white male approach to scholarship, which has been marked by social domination rather than moral leadership and publication for prestige at the expense of public service. Although the limitations in Bethune’s scholarship are highlighted, it is clear that her educational ideas are complex and useful.

Introduction

"History affords abundant evidence that civilization has advanced in direct ratio to the efficacy with which the thought of the thinkers has been translated into the language of the workers. Where are the interpreters…to translate [scholarship] into the language of the street?"

— Mary McLeod Bethune, Hampton University, 1934

Research, teaching and service are the core of higher education. Each area raises vital questions about scholarly agenda, pedagogical practice, and responsibility to the community. Though black women’s access to formal education at graduate levels has

been historically limited, their scholarship has been woven into America’s fabric as early as the 1700s. Black women’s historic contributions to civilization, as Bethune affirmed in the preceding quote, have effectively linked thought to action (Hine, 1998; Bethune, 1934/2002, p. 110).

Mary McLeod Bethune’s ideas of research, knowledge creation, and meaning making were very much informed by her cultural identity, and she engaged in rigorous study for both personal and collective growth. She is widely regarded as a talented administrator and politico, but this paper focuses on how Bethune’s collected written works enrich definitions of research in ways relevant to contemporary academics (Flemming, 1995; Hanson, 2003). First, a brief biography of Bethune is provided; second, her mandates for research are outlined; next, Bethune’s perception of academic research is contrasted with the historic development of research in top-ranked institutions; and fourth, the limitations and strengths of Bethune’s approach to scholarly research are explored.

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