Mary McLeod Bethune dress heads to Smithsonian

Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ashley Robertson wears white gloves as she takes the dress out of a wardrobe case and slides it on a mannequin.

"It will damage easily," she says, standing inside what was once Mary McLeod Bethune's home on the Bethune-Cookman University campus. "We have to be really careful with it."

As curator at the college, Robertson is in charge of keeping all of the school's history intact. But that iconic black dress that once belonged to the Civil Rights leader and school founder is changing hands in the near future — moving to a more prominent location at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture opening in 2016.

"It's one of her more popular dresses," Robertson says. "If you Google her name, you will see this black dress with (rhinestones) on the top and on the sleeves."

The museum is under construction on the National Mall on a five-acre tract adjacent to the Washington Monument. The 303,000-square-foot museum, the Smithsonian's 19th, will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life, art, history and culture. There will be at least three exhibits referencing Bethune, but Deborah Mack, director for community and constituent services at the new Smithsonian museum, said details of what will be included in the exhibits are not available. At least one thing is certain: The dress will be a vital part.

"That was one of her favorite dresses," Mack said. "You see her wearing the dress in a number of photos. It's an iconic piece that really represents her multiple roles and importance.'"

Born on a farm near Mayesville, South Carolina, Bethune was the 15th of 17 children of former slaves and rose to become a world-renowned educator. In 1904, she founded what was then called the Daytona Educational and Industrial School for Negro Girls.

In 1923, the school merged with the all-male Cookman Institute of Jacksonville and eventually became Bethune-Cookman College, a four-year, coeducational institution. Bethune served as the college's president until 1942 and again from 1946-47.

She's known for being a human rights leader, champion for women and young people and an adviser to five presidents. There are photos of Bethune wearing the dress in 1949 as she stands outside the Capitol in D.C. It was her dress of choice when she met with presidents or other influential figures during the Civil Rights movement.

The dress will not be a part of the exhibit permanently. Another one of Bethune's dresses is also being loaned by the Mary McLeod National Council, which was the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women and Bethune's last home in Washington.

"When you have clothing in permanent or long-term exhibition, they can't just stay out," Mack said. "They will fade or damage. You have to rotate them."

The Mary McLeod Bethune home on B-CU's campus was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. It's visited by about 700 people each year, and most come from out of town, Robertson said.

To have some aspects from the home moved to the Smithsonian, which received an estimated 28 million visitors to its museums in 2014, is going to expose Bethune's legacy to more people across the world.

"We are definitely excited and grateful to be chosen for this opportunity," she said.

___

Information from: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com