Washington Tuskegee Institute Analysis

Washington was one of the most influential African American figures during the late 19th century. He was born as a slave on a small farm in Virginia, and he was determined to educate himself, and after that make a change in the world. After getting an education through hard work, he was teaching at Hampton institute. Then, Washington founded an institute based on the Hampton model in 1881. The institute was called the Tuskegee institute and it was located in Alabama. His goal was to make Tuskegee into a model school of industrial education. Washington used his ability to win the trust of white Southerners and Northern philanthropists in order to accomplish his goal. His idea of how this school would work surprised the white people, because he said that this school would not be focused on any competition with the whites. …show more content…
White people were surprised, but also made them accept this idea. Black people on the other hand were very concerned but Washington told them that if this school turns out into the industrial school that he wants to, everyone would be able to escape debt and live a normal life. This way, Washington was accepting social and political inequality for blacks while training them how to build economic self-determination in the industrial arts. From his small industrial school, he managed to create a political network of schools, newspapers, and the National Negro Business League. Washington further publicized himself and his program by publishing his autobiography. There was resistance against Washington’s ideas within the black community but for the majority of middle-class and working-class part of the black community, Washington remained their