Experience student life at Bethune - Cookman University by spending a day exploring the interesting campus buildings set around leafy grounds. The university started in 1904, when civil rights activist and educator Mary McLeod Bethune established a school for black girls. Bethune’s school merged with the Cookman Institute for Boys in 1923 and it took on its present-day name in 1941. Today Bethune - Cookman University is an historically black university home to around 4,000 students.
A good place to begin your tour is at the Mary McLeod Bethune Home “The Retreat.” This former home of visionary Mary McLeod Bethune has personal artifacts and exhibits that delve into the life and legacy of the university’s creator. Learn about her meetings with prominent figures such as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and baseball star Jackie Robinson. Bethune named the nearby Faith Hall as an illustration of what can be achieved by faith.
While the students are busy attending lectures, take the opportunity to admire the college architecture. The centerpiece White Hall impresses with its brick facade and columned entrance. It takes its name from the White Sewing Machine Company founder Thomas H. White, who was a prominent college benefactor. The Flora B. Curtis Hall and Cookman Hall were the first girls and boys dormitories, respectively.
Make a point to stop at the Band Practice Field to watch and listen to The Marching Wildcats competition marching band. The fortunes of band members auditioning and competing for places is the subject of the television documentary Marching Orders. Find out about the current schedule at the Performing Arts Center, where shows range from Broadway musicals to operas and symphony orchestras.
Bethune - Cookman University is open to visitors year round and admission is free. The campus is a short drive from downtown Daytona Beach and free street parking is available. Several public bus lines operate regular services between the university and downtown district.
