Booker T Washington's Influence On American Education

Following the end of the Civil War and the freedom of slaves, the northern white population gave their consent for the education of black men and women. Yet they took no active step to “teach them and bear with them” (Stowe, 267), insuring the education for the newly freed slaves. The northern whites did not successfully accomplish St Claire’s challenge to personally ensure the education of freed black slaves, as they made no effort to give their black workers time for their studies, provide the supplies crucial for learning, or get involved more that giving money. Whites believed that by hiring black workers who were trying to earn enough money to pay for their educations they were doing their part in the education of freed black slaves. …show more content…
Many of these schools lacked the basic supplies essential for learning. Despite the existence of amiable relationships among blacks and whites, such as in the local hardware store which Washington mentions as being “owned and operated jointly by a colored and white man” (Washington 109), supplies still did not make their way into schools for blacks. To illustrate, one day Booker T. Washington visited an abandoned log cabin that had been converted into a school house. There he found five students of various ages, leaning over each other’s shoulder, attempting to study from a single book (Washington 116). Even though whites no longer stopped blacks from having access to education, they did not take an active role in providing the books or supplies they needed to fulfill St. Claire’s challenge to educate free black slaves. As the need for higher education opportunities for black Americans increased, Booker T. Washington sought assistance from northern whites to fulfill his dream for the Tuskegee Institute. Answering the call to help, many northerners gave generous sums of money in financial support of the new school; however, they made no effort to get involved beyond giving