| July 10, 1875 | Birth of Mary Jane McLeod | Mary Jane McLeod was one of 17 children born to freed slaves living in poverty in South Carolina. She was the only one of the children to attend school. |
| 1884 | Entered Miss Wilson's School | She began attending a school opened by a local missionary, Miss Wilson. She remained at Miss Wilson's school until she received a scholarship in 1887 to Scotia Seminary. |
| 1887 | Entered Scotia Seminary | In 1887, McLeod entered Scotia Seminary in North Carolina. She would remain there for six years. She graduated from Scotia Seminary in 1893. |
| 1893 | Moody Bible Institute(1893 to 1895) | Between 1893 and 1895, Mary McLeod studied at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. |
| 1895 | Began Teaching | Having completed her education, McLeod began teaching in 1895. She worked in small schools for African American girls. |
| 1898 | Married Albertus Bethune | Mary McLeod married fellow teacher Albertus Bethune in 1898. They had one son together, born in 1899. The marriage ended in 1907. |
| 1904 | Opened Daytona Educational and Industrial School for Negro Girls | In her own life, Bethune recognized the value of education. She began her school with only five students, but it grew to 250 students over the coming years. |
| 1912 | First Student Completed 8th Grade | In 1912, the first of Mary McLeod Bethune's students completed 8th grade in her school. |
| 1924 | President of National Association of Colored Women's Clubs | Bethune was elected President of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. This is her first significant role in the civil rights movement. |
| 1925 | Merger of Bethune and Cookman Colleges | Around 1925, Bethune's school merged with the Cookman College for Men. Bethune retained a leadership role in the combined institution. The merge may have occurred as early as 1923 or as late as 1929. She remained with the college until 1942. |
| February 18, 1935 | Founded National Council of Negro Women | On February 18, 1935, Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women, taking on a more significant political role in the burgeoning civil rights movement. |
| 1935 | Special Advisor to Roosevelt | With a growing role political role, Bethune became a special advisor on minority issues. She became especially close to Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife Eleanor. The two women remained friends for many years. |
| 1936 | Director of Division of Negro Affairs for the National Youth Administration | In 1936, Bethune was appointed to serve as director of the Division of Negro Affairs. She was particularly concerned with job and educational opportunities for African Americans. |
| 1943 | Moved to National Council of Negro Women Headquarters | After she stepped down from her administrative role in Bethune-Cookman College, Bethune moved to Washington D.C. She spent the next few years living in the National Council of Negro Women headquarters. |
| 1950 | Committee on National Defense(Early 1950s) | In the early 1950s, Bethune served on a committee for National Defense and was sent as a U.S. delegate to Liberia. |
| May 18, 1955 | Mary McLeod Bethune Died | After a brief period of retirement, Bethune died in 1955 in Florida. Her last will and testament strongly stressed the importance of education for African Americans and women. |
