“The Black Rose” featuring Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, soprano & Dr. Casey Robards, piano collaborator

This episode looks at the life and legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who was born into slavery & became a nationally respected educator & civil rights leader. In 2022, the State of Florida officially installed The Black Rose into the National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. The statue is the work of master sculptor & Fort Lauderdale resident Nilda Comas. The rose symbolizes Dr. McLeod Bethune’s belief that “loving thy neighbor, means interracial, inter-religious & international brotherhood.” The program consists of a collection of select compositions by celebrated female African American composers who were contemporaries or personal friends of Mary McLeod Bethune.