Show f iJ 4 ti- ti to I r i V 0 Kew F Lt L Itt r vf c ii P i.-P ff v. f. f 1 VV J r t r e t F Fo Foit Ike Washington DC D.C. Mary McLeod Bethune daughter of slave parents who became the first Black and the first woman ever to serve as an advisor to the the- the President President of of the United States will be given additional recognition with the help of two grants t totaling from the National National National Na Na- Endowment for the Humanities The awards will be used by bythe bythe bythe the National Council of Negro Women an organization organization organization organ organ- founded by Mrs Bethune Bethune Bethune Be Be- thune in 1935 to develop programs programs pro pro- programs grams to make the public more aware of the achievements achievements achievements achieve achieve- ments of this remarkable lady A Humanities Endowment Media grant in the amount of will help the develop and produce a film for television highlighting the accomplishments of Mrs Bethune After establishing herself as an educator and activist for the rights and welfare of young people Mrs Bethune was tapped by by- President Franklin Roosevelt to advise him of the plight of Blacks Blacksin in America Impressed with her work President Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- velt in 1935 appointed her Director of the newly established established established Office of Minority Af M- fairs Not only was she the first Black woman to ever hold such a post she became one of the most influential and powerful Blacks In n the country During this time she met and formed a close friendship friendship friendship friend friend- ship with Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt and together they worked unceasingly to insure the human rights of all Americans Americans Americans Am Am- regardless of race color or creed The television dramatization tion lion will be researched by Dr Douglas OConnor O'Connor who will utilize various documents documents documents docu docu- ments and recollections of Mrs Bethune's friends and business associates The program program pro pro- pro pro- program gram will be written by Lonnie Lonnie Lonnie Lon- Lon nie Elder II who penned the movie Sounder Sounder Sounder Soun winning Oscar der The renowned actor Brock Peters will serve as executive producer of the program Another grant in the amount of will be used by the National Council of Negro Women to develop interpretive programs at the Bethune Home and office located located lo lo- located in Washington DC D.C. Research is currently underway underway underway under under- way to create an effective presen presentation tion of the principles and philosophies that made Mrs Bethune a major figure in Black history and in the United States ri 3 The home recently restored restored restored res res- res- res and declared in 1976 as asa asa asa a National Historic Land Land- Landmark Landmark mark will be used as a a museum museum museum mu mu- seum and education center featuring a repository of tapes transcripts photographs photographs photographs photo photo- graphs and other documents pertinent to the study of Black history These two grants aw awarded awarded r- r ded by the National Endowment Endowment Endowment Endow Endow- ment for the Humanities demonstrate the agency's continuing interest in research research research re re- re- re search and educational programs programs pro pro- programs grams dealing with Am Afro studies For further information information information tion regarding these and other grants funded by the Humanities Endowment please contact I ITh Th The National Endowment for forthe forthe forthe the Humanities Public Information Office Street NW Mail Stop Washington DC D.C. |