The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House: A Headquarters for Change

Original Event Information:

This Friday, March 25, from 12-1 pm ET, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society—in conjunction with the Office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor—will host a webinar about the life and legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune. As a leader of the “Black Cabinet” during the FDR Administration, Dr. Bethune was instrumental in advancing the needs and interests of the African American community during the New Deal to the end of World War 2. This event is part of a series about the impact of Dr. Bethune before her statue graces the U.S. Capitol later this summer.

On Friday, Park Ranger and historian, John T. Fowler, II, MA, shares the story of the “Mary McLeod Bethune Council House,” a National Historic Site where Bethune achieved her greatest recognition. This Washington, D.C. townhouse was the first national headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and Bethune’s last home in the nation’s capital. From there, Bethune and the NCNW spearheaded strategies and developed programs that advanced the interests of African American women—and that of the nation!

Like all U.S. Capitol Historical Society webinars, this event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

About the Speaker: John T. Fowler, II is an 11-year employee of the National Park Service, currently serving as a Park Ranger at National Capital Parks-East in Washington, D.C. He has worked at several national parks and historic sites in the Washington-Metropolitan area, including: the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, the Capitol Hill Parks, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. Having always had a love for history and a desire to share that love with others, he graduated from the Public History Program at Howard University with his M.A. degree in History, and he holds a B.A. degree in History from the University of the District of Columbia. He is also an author, visiting lecturer, and has presented on panels at local, regional, and national historical conferences.