Booker T Washington's Influence on the Course of African-American Life Through Education

Booker T. Washington who had only managed toof the Institute, he traveled the country
get a primary education that allowed hisunceasingly to raise funds from blacks and whites
probationary admittance to Hampton Institutealike. Soon he became a well-known speaker. He
after his emancipation from slavery through thereceived a lot of money from white northerners.
1865 proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, provedFor they were impressed with the work he was
such an exemplary student, teacher, and speakerdoing and his non-threatening racial views.He thus
that the principal and founder of Hampton Samuellured industrialists like Andrew Carnegie and John
C. Armstrong recommended him to AlabamansD. Rockefeller who would donate money on a
who were trying to establish a school for Africanregular basis.
Americans in their state to lead them in theirBooker Washington spent the rest of his life
effort.improving the school so that when he died, in
But Washington preferred to become a teacher1915 the Tuskegee Institute boasted 100 buildings,
first in his home town in Tinkersville, West Virginia.1,500 students, a variety of programs and $2
He served there for three years. In 1878 he leftmillion. By then Tuskegee's endowment had grown
to attend Wayland Seminary in Washington DC,to over $1.5 million, compared to the initial $2,000
but stayed on for only six months. In 1879annual appropriation.
Armstrong asked him to return to HamptonThe institute illustrates Washington's aspirations
Institute as a teacher. Washington did so.for his race. For during his lifetime, many African
In 1881, upon the recommendation of HamptonAmericans who were former slaves and who did
University founder Samuel C. Armstrong andnot have an education were provided with
Tuskegee's governing body, even though suchopportunities to learn vocational skills and obtain an
positions had always been held by whites up untileducation. He thought former slaves would gain
that time, he was hired as the first principal of aacceptance through education and financial
similar school being founded in Alabama,. the newindependence. His theory was, that by providing
normal school -teachers' college- in Alabama calledthese skills, African Americans would play their
Tuskegee Institute. It was founded under apart in society thus gaining acceptance by white
charter from the Alabama legislature for theAmericans. He believed that they would eventually
purpose of training teachers in Alabama.gain full civil rights by showing themselves to be
They found the energetic and visionary leaderresponsible, reliable American citizens.
they sought in Washington. Washington thusIn 1895, Washington was asked to speak at the
became the first principal of the Tuskegee Normalopening of the Cotton States Exposition, an
and Industrial Institute. July 4, 1881, the first dayunprecedented honor for an African American. His
of school at Tuskegee Institute, was a humbleAtlanta Compromise speech explained his major
beginning, The new school was initially using spacethesis, that blacks could secure their constitutional
rented from a local church with two smallrights through their own economic and moral
buildings, no equipment, and very little money. Theadvancement rather than through legal and political
next year, Washington purchased a formerchanges. Although his conciliatory stand angered
plantation, which became the permanent site ofsome blacks who feared it would encourage the
the campus. He built it into a center of learningfoes of equal rights, whites approved of his views.
and industrial and agricultural training. in Tuskegee,Thus his major achievement was to win over
Alabama. Tuskegee's program provided studentsdiverse elements among southern whites, without
with both academic and vocational training. Thewhose support the programs he envisioned and
students, under Washington's direction, built theirbrought into being would have been impossible.
own buildings, produced their own food, andAlthough not everyone agreed with Booker, he
provided for most of their basic necessities. Thebecame a respected leader who helped many
Tuskegee faculty utilized each of these activitiesschools and institutions gain donations and support
to teach the students basic skills that they couldfrom the government and donors. From this
share with African American communitiesposition of leadership he rose into a nationally
throughout the South.prominent role as spokesman for African
Even though Tuskegee provided an academicAmericans.
education and instruction for teachers, it placedIt was these non-threatening racial views that
more emphasis on providing young black boysgave Washington the appellation "The Great
with practical skills such as carpentry andAccomodater". He believed that blacks should not
masonry.Under Washington's care both the schoolpush to attain equal civil and political rights with
and Washington grew to be world famous,whites. That it was best to concentrate on
making lasting and profound contributions to theimproving their economic skills and the quality of
South and to the United States.their character. The burden of improvement
One of Booker Washingron's main problems wasresting squarely on the shoulders of the black
always finding enough money to keep theman. Eventually they would earn the respect and
institution running. The support he received fromlove of the white man, and civil and political rights
the state was neither generous nor stable enoughwould be accrued as a matter of course. This
to build the kind of school he wanted. So he hadwas a very non-threatening and popular idea with
to raise the money himself by going on speakinga lot of whites.
tours and soliciting donations. As head and founder