Fifth Third Bank Central Florida is honoring the accomplishments of African Americans during a month-long campaign in February in honor of Black History Month. The Bank is partnering with Orlando’s WCFB radio station (94.5 FM) to highlight an African American history maker each weekday in February.
The 20 featured individuals are well- and lesser-known African Americans whose unique contributions to society helped shape American history. Among the featured history makers will be:
- Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter and sibling of slaves, who founded Bethune-Cookman University in Florida and served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Ronald McNair, astronaut, who was the second African American to fly in space and perished in the Challenger explosion of 1986.
- Virginia Randolph, daughter of former slaves, who became a teacher at age 16 and is widely considered a pioneer of vocational education.
- Ralph Bunche, diplomat, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his mediation in Palestine in the late 1940s.
In addition, Fifth Third Bank Central Florida will sponsor a promotion in which the radio station DJ will invite listeners to call in for a chance to win a $50 MasterCard® gift card from Fifth Third Bank. The daily winners will automatically be entered in a Fifth Third Bank-sponsored, on-air drawing at month’s end for $1,000 and an additional $5,300 donation to one of five pre-selected African-American focused local charity of the winner’s choosing.
“These campaigns are a testament to Fifth Third’s culture of diversity and inclusion and a way in which to honor the life-changing contributions of African Americans during Black History Month,” said Karen Dee, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank (Central and North Florida). “It not only underscores the commitment Fifth Third Bank has to serving all customers in our market, but also enables us to give back to a non-profit organization that serves the important, specific needs within our local community.”
