Educator and activist Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was born on July 10, 1875, in Mayesville, South Carolina. Bethune was the 15th of 17 children born to former slaves. She was curious from a young age and wanted to learn to read and write. Bethune was the only child in her family to attend school, and she taught her siblings what she learned each day. Bethune showed an early interest in education, attending the Scotia Seminary and the Moody Bible Institute. She first hoped to become a missionary in Africa, but was told she wasn't needed. Instead, she decided to be a teacher. In 1899, Bethune moved to Palatka, Florida to run a mission school and organized an outreach to prisoners. In October 1904, Bethune rented a small house for $11 a month. With just $1.50 in funds, she started the Literary and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Daytona, Florida. Her first year, she had six students. A clever fundraiser, Bethune, parents, and church members made sweet potato pies, ice cream, and fried fish to sell to nearby construction crews to raise funds for the school. They used elderberry juice for pen ink, burned wood for pencils, and got furniture from local businesses. Bethune also received financial support from the ladies' Palmetto Club, James Gamble (of Proctor and Gamble), and John D. Rockefeller. She once said, “I considered cash money as the smallest part of my resources. I had faith in a loving God, faith in myself, and a desire to serve