When looking at the importance of Booker T. Washington’s life, his accomplishments must be acknowledged. He started by making a way for himself to become more educated. Without education, he may have never been placed in a position in society able to share his philosophy. Washington can also be credited for having a philosophy that was not only accepted by African Americans, but White people as well. The construction and development of Tuskegee into a thriving institution for African Americans can also be named as one of his accomplishments (Washington 447). It wasn’t until Washington gave his Atlanta Exposition/ Compromise speech in 1895, that he became a national icon (Washington 447). Enclosed in his speech was a message which “argued that African Americans should defer the quest for equal rights in return for low-level economic opportunities” (Washington 447). This speech was his greatest accomplishment because it thrusted him into the national spot light. Washington went on to help with organizing protests, and offer his support to civil rights groups. Though he was applauded by many for his speech, others condemned him for it because it looked as though Washington was trying to appease White people. It is also noted that “Washington’s words in speeches have been misinterpreted as more conservative than Washington intended and that his more radical statements about racial injustice have been overlooked” (Bishop). Words are misinterpreted on a daily basis but
Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were extremely different people who had extremely different ideas on how to best tackle racism in America. Booker T. Washington preferred the passive approach, and often told African Americans that they were responsible for amending racism. In his Atlanta Compromise Speech, Booker T. stated “Our greatest danger is that in the great leap from slavery to freedom we may overlook the fact that the masses of us are to live by the productions of our hands, and fail to keep in mind that we shall prosper in proportion as we learn to dignify and glorify common labour, and put brains and skill into the common occupations of life… It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top. Nor should we permit our grievances to overshadow our opportunities.” As Booker T. stated later in his Atlanta Compromise speech, “The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremest folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing… It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is
Washington truly was an incredible man. He was not put down by the difficulties he encountered but instead rose to the occasion. He was someone who worked hard for everything he had despite trials and tribulation. His speeches and testaments for equality, such as “The Atlanta Compromise,” highlighted the need and importance for cooperation and lasting friendship between the African American and Southern white races. These ideals would improve, and later help resolve, America’s racial issues like segregation. In conclusion, Booker T. Washington's “Atlanta Compromise” speech is one of the most important speeches in American History when it came to creating opportunity for equality between African American and Southern white
Booker T. Washington believed that blacks should not push to attain equal civil and political rights with whites. That it was best to concentrate on improving their economic skills and the quality of their character. The burden of improvement resting squarely on the shoulders of the black man. Eventually they would earn the respect and love of the white man, and civil and political rights would be accrued as a matter of course. This was a very non-threatening and popular idea with a lot of whites.
Booker T. Washington’s philosophy and actions betrayed the interests of African Americans because he was more interested on the blacks getting educated and getting the respect of the white authorities, instead of worrying on getting their political and social equality right away, which was the main interest of the African Americans. In “The Atlanta Exposition Address”, Washington said that blacks would sacrifice their civil rights and social equality for the time being, as long as whites guaranteed that they would receive industrial education and jobs because he believed that in order to fully obtain equality, the blacks should improve themselves. “It is at the bottom of
On September 18, 1895, an African-American spokesman and leader Booker T. Washington spoke in the front of thousands of whites at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta. His famous “Atlanta Compromise” was one of the most influential speeches in American. regardless Washington soothed his listeners’ concerns about the what they said “uppity” blacks. Mr. Washington was a very well-known black educator. Even though he was born into slavery he strongly felt and believed that racism would in fact end once the blacks put effort into labor skills and proved themselves to society. He pressured industrial education for African-Americans so that they would gain respect from the whites. Washington often was good for ignoring discrimination because it didn’t phase him. But he was so nervous
Booker T. Washington is one of the most respected and influential African American figures in American history, Mr. Washington was born into slavery and was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. His peaceful personality along with his exceptional education in many different studies turned him into a well-rounded individual. Washington wanted blacks and whites to become partners and strive for both races to succeed. He delivered his most famous speech in 1895 known as the “Atlanta Compromise”. In Atlanta Georgia, Mr. Washington expresses himself with exceptional rhetoric and tone throughout his speech. He states that African Americans should take benefit of what they know and endeavor
Booker T. Washington was brought up with a different upbringing then most slaves during the 1800s; as he would describe as “up from slavery”. Even though he was born a slave, he had a better chance of “equal access” and equality in main stream America. He had a chance to gain an education part time during his younger years as well as working. Booker T, believed the best way to ensure progress and peace was,”for the whites to respect the blacks desire for improved economic opportunities and for blacks to respect the whites desire for social separation of the races.” I agree with this ideology because everyone was getting a piece of
Booker T. Washington delivers the 1895 Atlanta Compromise Speech to a white and black audience about the equality blacks and whites deserve. As a black speaker in the north, Washington influences and impresses many of the northern citizens with his moving speech. Washington brought with him “...evidence of racial progress in the South”. His audience contained the president and the board of directors as well as citizens.
In Chapter three of The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B Du Bois discusses Booker T. Washington and some of his accomplishments for African Americans and also criticizes some of his lack of understanding in his propaganda that he could have done more in his position to progress African Americans status instead of trying to be accepted by the white community. Washington has been criticized by Du Bois because of his “submission” to the white view on African Americans and their rights Du Bois calling him “the most distinguished Southerner since Jefferson Davis” (Du Bois, 1903).
Booker T. Washington’s philosophy of economic power through industrial education better suited the future of Black America because it addressed the masses at the time. Washington argued in his Atlanta Compromise Speech that the only way to advance the black community was to allow them to study industrial education and work a trade in order to make capital that would in turn allow them to buy themselves out of the situations they were put
In one site, Booker T. Washington, the most influential lieder of his period (1856-1915), who was born as a slave in 1856 (Virginia), who because of studying in the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Learned the skills he needed to be respected by the withes society and gain considerable influence over the black people. Washington philosophy was based on self-improvement, education, accommodation and others. He preaches that African American rather than concentrate their effort in combating segregation, they should be focus in self-improvement, education and wealth. He encourages Young African American develop patience, commercial agricultural skills and others instead of instead of
He decided that African Americans should temporarily accept discrimination and racial inferiority from white Americans. He believed that over time, African Americans would earn their equality and fair treatment as they rose economically and became more educated. His focus was in teaching industrial education or education about entering the workforce to African Americans, so they could learn and also economically prosper. In his Atlanta Compromise speech, Booker T. Washington showed what he believed about education and work by saying, “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” (Washington). This quote shows that he believes education is just as important as work, and he believed both are needed to be successful. This connects with his own life where he was constantly working but also getting educated. Also in his Atlanta Compromise speech, Booker T. Washington publically declared that he would accept segregation and inferiority of the black race in exchange that white Americans would allow education opportunity, economic growth and fair court justice for African Americans (“Booker T. Washington” PBS). He thought that if African Americans had these rights, they would eventually be able to prove themselves worthy of equality. Finally, Booker T. Washington opposed directly fighting back for rights and equality because he thought it would only lead to more violence against
Andrew Morris Mrs. Boyd English I A3 4 April 2017 Booker T. Washington and the Tuskegee Institute Thesis: Booker T. Washington was relentless in his goals to make African Americans lives more meaningful. I. Booker’s Life A. Personal Life 1.
This course has expanded my knowledge on things that I have learned prior to taking the course. When learning about Booker T. Washington I learned details about him that I was unaware of. For an example, when reading the quote “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” Washington, Booker the Atlanta Explosion Address, written by himself 1901 The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr, and Valeria A. Smith 3rd edition W. W Norton 2014, pp 573. it gave me a different perspective of Mr. Washington. I begin to see him as a selfish man, he was okay with African Americans giving up things such as political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education of the African American youth. Mr. Washington was okay with separation, and did not discuss any of these irrational decisions with other African Americans who would be affected by it.
Booker T. Washington was one of the most well-known African American educators of all time. Lessons from his life recordings and novelistic writings are still being talked and learned about today. His ideas of the accommodation of the Negro people and the instillation of a good work ethic into every student are opposed, though, by some well-known critics of both past and current times. They state their cases by claiming the Negro’s should not have stayed quiet and worked their way to wear they did, they should have demanded equal treatment from the southern whites and claimed what was previously promised to them. Also, they state that Washington did not really care about equality or respect, but about a status boost in his own life. Both