Booker T. Washington: A Wholehearted Leader

A Wholehearted Leader It is more than one hundred years after the Civil War, the war which brought a significant changes in the American society, had ended the slavery system. It is somehow amazing to learn that the African-Americans had found themselves their own way to catch up with the civilization of the country. Their success regard their hard working and their desiring to obtain education, however, also regard the enlightening and guiding of many great leaders and individuals. The most prominent among them is Booker T. Washington, who lifted up the whole race and wakened the Whites out of prejudice and discrimination. In his life, he did two things that become an enduring legacy until now-the success of Tuskegee Institute and the …show more content…
He showed his respect in every word he describe his masters or mistress. He expressed the sorrow feeling when their young master died in the war, the loyalty in protect the mistress at home, and the sympathy for the ex-master who somehow being aided by the slaves. There was a bit of, not jealousy, but the desire to be just like the Whites. The best detail describe was the craving of ginger cake when he saw his mistress ate ginger cake. The most significant view Booker expressed about the Whites on the plantation was the lacking of productive industry working. He explained that labor was something that not only the Negroes want to escape, but also the Whites. For instance, all of the son and daughter of his master were not taught any single line of productive industry such as cooking, sewing, or repairing. He observed that soon after the Civil War when freedom came, the slaves were as well fitted as their owner to begin a new life. This was a sign of equalities his mind. He believed that the Negroes also had the same abilities and same chances of changing their life as the Whites. This insight was also the important key in his success of the Tuskegee …show more content…
Washington always found the best ways to improve the life of Blacks after the Civil War. He believed that by teaching the knowledge in the book was never be enough. Washington argued that the Negroes must focus on educating themselves. He explained that, in order to become successful, an individual must start from the bottom, not from the top. He also believed that the students also need to have the industrial skills, to be able to conduct an activity with the application of useful industry. He wanted his students to remember, as he said in the autobiography, to do one common thing in an uncommon manner, and to be helpful to others regardless the races. By the early days at Tuskegee giving Booker the advantages of seeing the real everyday life of people. He recalled that everywhere was planted cotton while it could be used to cultivate crops and vegetable. One interesting thing he mentioned which vividly described the life of the Blacks after the Civil War was five people were using only one fork while they spend sixty dollars to by an accordion which was barely used by anyone. He gave the people the ideas of cities rather living by their wits. And by all means and all his heart he started to do the work that seemed impossible - enlightened and civilized the whole generation. By every way he could, he attempted to build the school for the Blacks, teaching self – help, self – reliance. He patiently show them how to make the bricks, which were as good as those