Booker T. Washington

Introduction

Booker T. Washington was born in 1856, and went on to become one of the most famous black educators of his time, playing his part in American history and ensuring that African American history had a protagonist to look up to. Not only this, but he was one of the key figures in forming race relations among the south and remained on the forefront of public affairs, representing the African Americans till his death in 1915. He was originally a slave born in a small farm in Virginia, and famously stated that he “ was born a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia. I am not quite sure of the exact place or exact date of my birth, but at any rate I suspect I must have been born somewhere and at some time."

Discussion

After being liberated from the life of a slave, he moved with his family in order to look for better work and opportunities. He received his secondary education at Hampton Institute, after which he became a teacher at a school while practicing law and ministry. He was offered a teaching job at the same university at which he received his education, which also led to his future career, modeling his life for the future. Although Washington was not offered an innovative or a very useful position through which he could spread education and reform, he did become one of the first few black persons to represent the philanthropic work as well as promotion of industrial education among black youth. He became a spokesperson for this cause as well, and this opportunity gave him the platform he needed to reveal his personal philosophies relating to education and his advocacy of the educational methods being utilized at Tuskgee Institute. He revealed that through this institute and its systematic method of educating youth, the black community would be able to form trades through which they could avail opportunities such as land ownership, self employment or even small businesses.

He worked hard to convince the while local owners to advocate this institute and provide the promise of the inculcation of Protestant principles in work ethic. He also played an important part in refining local white endorsement of his plans and thus was able to secure land, which was cultivated through the donations made by northern allies. This allowed Washington to ensure Tuskegee Institute went on to become one of the first and widely supported black educational institutes at the time. After these initial attempts and successful endeavors, Washington went on to use his influence over the race relations as well as black leadership over further betterment of the black community and the treatment it endured. The racial segregation was an especially important aspect on which Washington addressed the nation.

He spoke about the submission of the black community in disfranchisement of the American community, as well as the segregation faced by the blacks. As he had a reasonably suited white following as well, as used his influence to ...