For the unveiling of a new statue honoring Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune on Tuesday, more than 100 people gathered inside the former Lake County Courthouse. The figure will now be a part of the historical museum of Lake County forever. It is a scaled-down version of the statue that debuted in July in Washington, D.C., standing at just over 2 feet tall.
The monument was created using the same marble block that the master sculptor, Nilda Comas, used to create the statue that is located in the U.S. Capitol, according to the information she provided to News 6. I feel like I’ve been prepared for this my entire life, Comas remarked. “Dr. Bethune was great, like, I say that I was able to work on,” said the speaker. “I wanted to do legacies.”
The two marble monuments honoring Dr. Bethune were carved by Comas, a Puerto Rican who trained her trade in Italy. The Confederate general statue was replaced with the 11-foot-tall first statue that was put inside Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. They are both fantastic because, as I mentioned, they are about love, and Comas claimed that even in Washington, people were moved by the sculpture after viewing it.
One of the most influential teachers in America and a well-known national civil rights activist, Dr. Bethune spent her whole life and career fighting for the betterment of African American women. “I had a fantastic day today. Theo Bob, a Lake County Historical Society director, stated, “It brought back memories of when I was in first grade at the segregated school.
Bob claimed that Dr. Bethune’s legacy had contributed to his achievement. Dr. Bethune fought against children’s health care shortages and racial segregation in schools. She spent her entire life working to increase possibilities for African Americans. Bob expressed his hope that the younger generation would continue with her efforts.
“I leave you to hope, and I leave you peace, I leave you all these things, and to love your fellow man. That’s amazing. If our younger generation could remember that, that would be great. We would have served them well if we could pass that along, added Bob.
