Early Life

Booker T. Washington (1856 - 1915) was born a slave in Virginia. Washington was an educator, author, speech giver, and civil rights leader. After being freed from slavery, Washington moved to West Virginia where he was able to attend colleges that became Hampton University and Virginia Union University. Upon graduation from Virginia Union, he went back to Hampton as a teacher and was offered the job to head the Tuskegee Institution in Alabama.

Washington was an able fundraiser who received money support from many northern business leaders and

politicians to build several technical schools for African-Americans. He became a leader in the African-
American community due to the support of  black ministers, teachers, and other civil and business leaders. Washington promoted the idea that the best approach for African-Americans to gain a foothold in white society was through hard work, education, and economic accomplishments, before gaining full civil rights. Though he was criticized by individuals and groups such as W.E.B. Dubois and the NAACP for these ideals, Washington secretly provided money for many civil rights cases actively fighting for voting and other rights for blacks.

Books and Speeches

Washington wrote 14 books, including Up From Slavery, which was his autobiography published in 1901. Along with his contributions to education and civil rights, Washington was the first African-American to be invited to a formal dinner at the White House. In Georgia history, he is most well known for his Atlanta Compromise Speech which he presented at the International Cotton Exposition of 1895. This speech brought his ideas of cooperation and the “going slow” approach to the early civil rights movement. Though, this approach was criticized because of numerous lynchings during the time period and events such as the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot, many blacks and whites continued to support Washington and his ideals until his death in 1915. Washington was only 59.

For information about W.E.B. DuBois visit the following website:
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