DAYTONA BEACH — Her solitary grave rests among the serene beauty of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. Yet, the school’s founder — Mary McLeod Bethune — is never alone.

Mary McLeod Bethune, the child of former slaves, grew up to start a university and advise presidents. All it took was a child snatching a book from her hands. It happened in a flash, but the life of ...