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Abram Moore

Mrs. Rogers

American History

15 January 2020

Booker T. Washington

“It means a great deal, I think, to start off on a foundation which one has made for

oneself” (54). These words, written by the distinguished Booker T. Washington in his

autobiography, Up From Slavery, speak truly to the story of his own life. As the title of the work

suggests, Washington’s life began as a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia,

somewhere between 1858 and 1859. Though his time in slavery did not extend beyond his

childhood, he understood that he was raised in the “most miserable, desolate, and discouraging

surroundings” (1). Washington, determined to transform his situation, used discipline and

determination to break past the hindering boundaries of race and class. After receiving a

schooling through the Hampton Institute in Virginia, Washington used his acquired knowledge

to help fill his race’s need for education. Eventually, this led him to create the Tuskegee Institute,

which was designed to teach students of any color how to be successful in their career. While

travelling to obtain funds for the school, he became an accomplished public speaker, and was

praised for his bold and beautiful words. When examining the life of Booker T. Washington,

three characteristics point to his success: the importance of education, the value of perseverance,

and the power of forgiveness.

Booker T. Washington’s view of education, which included academic and industrial

learnings, shaped his career and led him to influence countless people. In his autobiography,

Washington provides the unique perspective of the slaves’ need for education after the war. In
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order to distance themselves from their past form of work, slaves naively pursued academics,

yielding to the thought that anyone who acquired an academic schooling would become “free

from most of the hardships of the world” and “could live without manual labour” (27). The

rapidly increasing number of scarcely educated African American politicians and pastors were

viewed with admiration in Washington’s community. Additionally, former slaves pursued lofty

subjects such as Greek and Latin, which did nearly nothing to benefit the student. Although

Washington shared and encouraged the same enthusiasm for “book knowledge”, he understood

the fact that applicable learning must be obtained in order to further oneself (17). When in

command of the Tuskegee Institute, he implemented this awareness by including an industrial

education in addition to an academic one. Students were provided with several different avenues

for agrarian occupation, such as masonry and farming. Aiming to produce indispensable

members of society, the school taught new and innovative ways for their graduates to fill needs

of communities. Furthermore, Washington insisted on emphasizing valuable life lessons that he

was taught over the years, like personal care, and ability to speak in front of people. Booker T.

saw how a variety of educational branches went into establishing someone as a successful

individual.

The word “perseverance” is epitomized in the story of Booker T. Washington. As a

childborn into slavery, work filled his life, teaching him diligence. He recalled that “almost every

day of my life had been occupied in some form of labour” (2). Even though young Washington

attained freedom through the conclusion of the American Civil War, his social position gave him

many academic and economic challenges to overcome. Nevertheless, he pressed on. In pursuit of

his education, young Washington studied hours upon end to learn how to read and write.

Additionally, he labored in coal factories to help support his family and finance his schooling.
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When he had raised enough money, Washington travelled to school in Hampton, Virginia to

complete his education, which he paid for by working as a janitor. Later in his life, he applied the

same values of hard work and determination to sustain the Tuskegee Institute. By travelling

across the country, speaking at conventions, and often going door to door, Washington was able

to raise enough funds to properly run the school. Moreover, he impressed his standards of

diligence upon the students with the creation of a night school for those who needed to work for

their education. The school started out in a small, leaking church but grew to an eighteen-

building campus, constructed largely by the hands of the pupils. Within his book, Washington

wisely remarks that, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached

in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome” (14). Rather than allow his unfortunate

environment to hinder him from accomplishing greatness, Washington employed perseverance to

rise from a poor slave, to a renowned individual.

Lastly, Booker T. Washington’s life overflowed with forgiveness. Although he despised

the practice of slavery, Washington pitied any person involved: both slavers and slaves. In fact,

he explained how many slaves showed grace by going on to protect and support their owner’s

families after gaining freedom. Likewise, Washington forgave his biological father, a white man

who was never involved in his life. After the close of the War, racial injustice still permeated

American culture and Washington observed it firsthand. But, instead of letting bitterness take

root, he knew that “great men cultivate love” and vowed that he would “permit no man […] to

narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him” (55). He grasped the fact that hatred helps

nobody and hurts everybody. Some may have seen Washington’s circumstances as plenty of

reason for resentment, but he used the opportunity to help heal racial wounds in his appraised

speaking career. One of his more well-known speeches, which was given at the Atlanta Industrial
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Exposition, gave wise advice on mending the social wounds in the South. Passionately,

Washington spoke in opposition to the idea of external intervention and encouraged southern

men and women of all races to combine their efforts and rebuild their land. Booker T.

Washington’s words testified against hatred and his understanding of forgiveness helped him to

break down racial barriers and build bridges of reconciliation.

When examining the life of Booker T. Washington, his deep understanding of the

significance of education, the worth of perseverance, and the strength of forgiveness shine

brilliantly. By selflessly offering all he had to administrate and fund the Tuskegee institute,

Washington helped students of his race to become functioning and hard-working members of

society. The nation benefitted from the fiery and inspiring speeches he delivered on

reconstruction and racial advancement. Even though he came from nothing, Washington’s

perseverance carried him to become a presidentially recognized figure who was famous

worldwide. Through all the ups and downs in his journey, he never abandoned his morals,

keeping his relationship with God and his family above all else. Booker T. Washington died on

November 14th, 1915, but his memory lives on in the hearts of all those impacted by his story.