Influence Of Booker T Washington

The Noble Influence “Success is not measured by the position one has reached in life, rather by the obstacles overcome while trying to succeed” (Booker T. Washington). Booker T. Washington was the most influential African American activist during the late 19th century. Born a slave during 1856, he passionately fought for a change. The horrifying moments he faces as a slave only increased his motivation to change the future of African Americans. Later in life he proceeded to become the founder of Tuskegee Institute where he taught that the acceptance of discrimination and hard work was the way to gain respect of the white men; the path to equality (Newman, Harvey). Booker T. Washington’s greatest influence toward African American Equality …show more content…
Washington was the first African American to present a speech in front of a mixed race audience, in the south. He directly addressed the president and the directors, reassuring the serious, determined tone set throughout his speech. The noble speech was an eye-opener for a new opportunity and gave hope to the African Americans. “Immediately following the speech governor Bullock rushed across the platform and took me by the hand, and the others did the same.” (451). The first step toward freedom was reassured by the respected he was presented following the speech, editors published his work, letters from the president and other highly ranked men of office.” Booker T. Washington 's Cotton States Exposition Address enlarges our understanding of the genre of witnessing by presenting a version of public testimony and historical remembrance sharply at odds with contemporary definitions of the genre” (Bradford, …show more content…
Booker T. Washington accepted racial discrimination, reminded black and whites, “In all things purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” (451). Reassuring that the difference between the races is not a bad thing, even though they are the difference they can both work together as one. Unifying will close the Social and economics gap the south is baring. Booker T. Washington’s publicly was beginning to grow before the speech with an unusually high success rate of Tuskegee University, where he taught his philosophy of the dominant white ideology rather than criticize it.
Booker T. Washington’s influence African American Equality also impacted the growth of the economy. Booker T. Washington advised rich industries on how to best invest their money to support black education in the south. Invest toward education provided the finical stability that led to the founding of most of the black southern