Booker T. Washington, born into slavery in 1856, rose to prominence as an influential African American intellectual and educator of the 19th century. Washington’s life and work continue to spark debate and analysis regarding his contributions to African American progress and his controversial stances on certain issues. Despite the contentious nature of some of his beliefs, Washington’s impact on education, civil rights, and economic empowerment for African Americans remains undeniable.
Early life and family
Booker Taliaferro Washington was born on 5 April 1856 in a modest hut in Franklin County, Virginia. His mother, Jane, was a cook for the plantation’s owner, while his father, a white man, remained unknown to Washington. Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, nine-year-old Booker, his siblings, and his mother were freed. Jane moved her family to Malden, West Virginia, and soon married Washington Ferguson, a free Black man.
Pursuit of education
In Malden, young Booker faced numerous challenges in pursuing an education. He was only allowed to attend school after working in a local salt works from 4-9 AM each morning. It was during his time working in a coal mine that he first learned about the Hampton Institute, a school for formerly enslaved people in southeastern Virginia founded in 1868 by Brigadier General Samuel Chapman.
Determined to receive an education, Washington embarked on a 500-mile journey to Hampton in 1872. There, he excelled as a student, earning high grades and impressing Chapman. After studying at Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C., Washington was invited to return to Hampton as a teacher in 1879. Chapman later recommended Washington as principal of a new school for African Americans in Tuskegee, Alabama: The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now known as Tuskegee University.
Founding of Tuskegee Institute
At the age of 25, Booker T. Washington assumed the role of principal at Tuskegee Institute in 1881. He served in this capacity for 34 years until he died in 1915. Under Washington’s leadership, the Institute transformed from a modest establishment with two small converted buildings and minimal resources into a thriving institution with over 100 well-equipped buildings, 1,500 students, a faculty of 200, and an endowment of nearly $2 million.
One of Washington’s notable hires at Tuskegee was George Washington Carver, who joined the Institute in 1896 to teach agriculture. Carver went on to become a celebrated figure in African American history, making significant advances in botany and farming technology.
Washington’s Beliefs and the Atlanta Compromise
Life in the post-Reconstruction era South proved difficult for African Americans. In a period marked by Jim Crow laws, discrimination, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, exercising the right to vote and gaining access to education and jobs were severely limited.
In a famous speech delivered on 18 September 1895, Washington addressed a majority-white audience in Atlanta, advocating for African Americans to focus on self-improvement through dignifying and glorifying common labour. He believed that it was better for African Americans to remain separate from whites as long as they were granted access to economic progress, education, and justice under U.S. courts:
“The wisest of 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 artificial forcing. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth infinitely more than to spend a dollar in an opera house.”
Washington’s speech, later dubbed “The Atlanta Compromise,” was met with sharp criticism from W.E.B. Du Bois, who denounced Washington’s stance in a chapter of his 1903 book, “The Souls of Black Folk.” Opposition to Washington’s views on race relations inspired the Niagara Movement (1905-1909). Du Bois later founded the NAACP in 1909.
Conflicts with other Black leaders
Due to Washington’s significant influence in the African American community, dissenting opinions were often suppressed. Du Bois and others criticised Washington’s harsh treatment of rival Black newspapers and thinkers who dared to challenge his authority and ideas.
Literary works
A talented public speaker with a keen sense of humour, Booker T. Washington authored five books:
- “The Story of My Life and Work” (1900)
- “Up From Slavery” (1901)
- “The Story of the Negro: The Rise of the Race from Slavery” (1909)
- “My Larger Education” (1911)
- “The Man Farthest Down” (1912)
First African American in the White House
Booker T. Washington made history as the first African American to be invited to the White House in 1901. President Theodore Roosevelt extended the invitation, sparking outrage among white Americans, particularly in the Jim Crow South. Despite the backlash, Roosevelt viewed Washington as a valuable advisor on racial matters, a role continued by his successor, President William Howard Taft.
Death and legacy
Booker T. Washington’s legacy is multifaceted and complex. While his public support for segregation seems outdated today, his emphasis on economic self-determination and education played an essential role in providing hope and opportunities for thousands of African Americans.
Washington’s contributions to African American progress, such as his programs for rural extension work and his role in the development of the National Negro Business League, are numerous. Despite his controversial stance on some issues, Washington’s life and work continue to inspire and inform discussions about race relations and education in America.
Washington passed away on 14 November 1915 at the age of 59 due to congestive heart failure. He left behind a vastly improved Tuskegee Institute, poised to carry on its mission of empowering and educating African Americans for generations to come.
Booker T. Washington’s life and accomplishments demonstrate the power of education and perseverance in the face of adversity. As a former slave who rose to become an influential educator and leader, Washington’s story serves as a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the potential for progress even in the most challenging circumstances. His legacy continues to inspire and provoke conversations about the role of education and economic self-determination in the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice.
