Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Portrait at The American Red Cross National Headquarter

 

In 2024, Anita was commissioned by the American Red Cross, aided by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., for a portrait of the profound Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. Dr. Bethune was an educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, civil rights activist, honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, and the list goes on and on and on!

“Dr. Bethune was also an advisor to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and thus was invited to two American Red Cross wartime conferences, in 1942, to discuss African American representation within the organization. As a result of these conferences, the “Committee on Red Cross Activities with Respect to the Negro” was formed. She was one of five committee members who made recommendations on the blood plasma project, the use of African American staff in overseas service clubs, the enrollment of African American nurses, and the presentation of African Americans on local and national Red Cross committees and staff department”

To honor her work with the American Red Cross, Dr. Bethune’s portrait is housed in the historic Folgers Conference room in their National Headquarters in Washington D.C