Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington
African American leader, orator and educator, Booker T. Washington was born into slavery on April 5, 1856 in Hale’s Ford, Virginia. The man who was born a slave would become one of America’s most recognized African American leaders by the beginning of the twentieth century. Washington worked his way through Hampton Normal Agricultural Institute in Virginia (now Hampton University). He also studied at Wayland Seminary (now Virginia Union University). On July 4, 1881 Booker T. Washington founded Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University) located in Tuskegee, Alabama.

The school was led by a young 25 year old Washington who guided the new students in building a school to provide educators for training African Americans throughout the south. He would lead Tuskegee to become one of the nation’s best schools. Only thirty years after the end of slavery, on September 18, 1895, Washington delivered what is considered by many to be one of America’s greatest speeches. He addressed race relations in what has become known as his “Atlanta Compromise” speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta.
(Below) Audio Speech by Booker T. Washington to the Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895 (May not be available or visible to some media players)