Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site

Address:1318 Vermont Avenue NW
Washington, District of Columbia
Tel: (202) 673-2402

Visit the home of a tireless educator at the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., a site that preserves the home of Mary McLeod Bethune, a daughter of former slaves, and accomplished educator, presidential advisor, and political activist. The site offers visitors ranger-guided tours and audiovisual experiences that focus on Bethune's life and significance.

In 1896, Bethune took a teaching job with a Presbyterian mission school in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1904, she opened her own school in Daytona, using the lessons she'd learned in Atlanta to structure the curriculum and create the best school available for African Americans in Florida at the time. Bethune was also active in the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), and the National Youth Administration (NYA).

Ranger-guided tours of the house present visitors with artifacts from Bethune's life, and an orientation video details her remarkable achievements and contribution to society. After a stroll round the house, visitors can find hundreds of restaurants in the downtown Washington, D.C. area, including everything from Thai cuisine to fast food.

To get to the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, take the Blue Line Metro train to the McPherson Square Metro Station, then walk north on 14th Street Northwest and turn right onto Vermont Avenue. The site is located at 1318 Vermont Avenue.