SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To eradicate the stigma associated with my organization while providing clarity.
THESIS/CENTRAL IDEA: I am sick and tired of my organization being judged before I can even explain what it is all about.
INTRODUCTION:
1. GET ATTENTION: I am NOT an Angry Black Woman! (3x) I am, however, a black woman who loves to give back to her community.
2. CLEARLY REVEAL THE TOPIC: I am getting sick and tired (sick and tired) of mentioning my organization, The National Council of Negro Women, and being judged before I am even able to explain what my organization is all about.
3. LISTENER RELEVANCE: We are all college students, so it should be important to us all to not make assumptions without gathering enough information.
4. ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY: As an active member and the current Vice President of this organization, I have made it my goal over the past 3 years to not fall short of our founder’s actual intentions.
5. PREVIEW OF MAIN POINTS: I’m not sure how Mary’s vision became so misconstrued over time, but today I am here to give a little background information and I will address the common misconceptions all while providing clarity.
Transition: To begin, let me first give you a little background information about the founder and the history of the organization.
BODY:
I. I am pretty sure most of you have heard of Mary McLeod Bethune right? (pause 2 seconds)
A. Well for those of you, who have not; allow me to give you a brief outline.
1. According to biography.com, Mary McLeod Bethune was “born Mary Jane McLeod on July 10, 1885, in Mayesville, South Carolina”.
2. Her biography also states that she was born to former slaves and grew up with the belief that “education provided the key to racial advancement”.
3. She was the only one of seventeen kids to attend school and she graduated from Scotia Seminary for girls in 1893.
4. She continued her education at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and upon completion, she moved to Daytona, Florida where she began her career as an educator and civil rights activist.
5. She started Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Negro Girls in 1904 with only five students and eventually merged with the Cookman Institute for Men which became the institution she is mostly known and recognized for, Bethune Cookman University.
B. Not only was Mary McLeod Bethune an activist and the founder of the wonderful institution Bethune Cookman University, she is also the founder of my lovely organization The National Council of Negro Women.
1. After gaining experience through education, the phenomenal Mary McLeod Bethune founded her own civil rights organization, The National Council of Negro Women, on December 5, 1935.
2. During a time where our country faced racism and sexism in abundance, the organization was founded to represent African American Women during these critical times.
3. Even though racism and sexism issues have calmed down over the years, the organization has evolved to be relevant to our time.
4. Our mission is the same, however, as we continue to advocate for black women, their families, and their communities.
5. We fulfill our mission by doing community service that benefits the minorities and we also host events that raise awareness to common issues faced within the minority community.
6. According to the national website, today there are “39 national affiliates and more than 240 sections” throughout the country striving to carry out Mary’s mission and I for one am proud that we are able to continue her legacy.
Transition/Connective: Now that I have given you a little background information about our founder and the history of the organization, I will now address the common misconceptions placed upon the National Council of Negro Women. II. Of course by hearing the name National Council of Negro Women quick assumptions and misconceptions are bound to
