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BOOKER T. WASHINGTON AND HIS FAMILY.

 

 

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON

 

 

 

 

 

 

The
SIOFU
of

, Mv
Lif€
and
Work

32,0:

 

 

INTRODUCTION BY DR. J. L. M. CURRY
COMMISSIONER PEABODY" AND SLATER
PUNDS'

 

 

FIFTY-FIFTH
THOUSAND

 

 

THE ORIGINAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
BROUGHT UP—TO-DATE WITH
OVER HALE A HUNDRED EULL
PAGE PHOTO AND HALETONE
ENGRAVINGS AND DRAWINGS
BY FRANK BEARD II II II .I

 

 

 

 

J. L. NICHOLS & COMPANY

MANUFACTURING PUBLISHERS OE POPULAR SUBSCRIP~
TION BOOKS ON THE EXCLUSIVE TERRITORY PLAN

TORONTO, ONT. NAPERVILLE, ILL. ATLANTA, GA.

 

 

 

 

lOAN STACK

COPYRIGHT, 1901
BY BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Entered according to act of Congress. in the year 1900
BY BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON
In the ofﬁce of the Librarian of Congress. at Washington. D. C.

5.014 ﬁnly by Subscription, and not to be had in book stores. Any one desiring
‘ a copy should address the Publishers '

 

COPYRIGHT, 1901
BY BOOKER ’1‘. WASHINGTON
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

ADMIRAL EVANS PRESENTING BOQKER T. WASHINGTON T0
P INCE HENRY AT THE WALDORF—ASTORIA.

* See article, page 450.

 

DR. J. L. M. CURRY, WASHINGTON. D C.

)96/

INTRODUCTION. '

,3) HAVE cheerfully consented to preﬁx
4 a few words introductory to this auto-
biography. While I have encouraged
its publication, not a sentence has been
submitted to my examination. From my inti-
mate acquaintance With the subject, because of
my connection with the Peabody and the Slater

 

Education Funds, I am sure the volume has such

a strong claim upon the people that no com-
mendation is needed.

The life of Booker T. Washington cannot be
written. Incidents of birth, parentage, schooling,
early struggles, later triumphs, may be detailed
with accuracy, but the life has been so incorpo-
rated, transfused, into such a multitude of other
1ives,—broadening views, exalting ideals, mold-
ing character,—that no human being can know
its deep and beneﬁcent inﬂuence, and no pen can
describe it. ~ Few living Americans have made a
deeper impression on public opinion, softened or
removed so many prejudices, or awakened
greater hopefulness in relation to the solution
of a problem, encompassed with a thousand diﬁ‘i-
culties and perplexing the minds of philanthro-

pists and statesmen. His personality is unique,
, ' 3

308

{

UU‘

4 _ INTRODUCTION.

his work has been exceptional, his circle of
friendships has constantly widened; his race,
through his utterances and labors, has felt an
upward tendency, and he himself has been an
example of what worth and energy can accom-
plish and a stimulus to every one of both races,
aspiring to a better life and to doing good for
others.

It has been said with truth that the race
problem requires the patientand Wise co-oper-
ation of the North and the South, of the white
people and the Negroes. It is encouraging to
see how one true, Wise, prudent, courageous man
can contribute far more than many men to the
comprehension and settlement of questions which
perplex the highest capabilities. Great eras have
often revolved around an individual; and, so, in
this country, it is singular that, contrary to what
pessimists have predicted, a colored man, born a
slave, freed by the results of the War, is accom-
plishing so much toward thorough paciﬁcation
and good citizenship. -

While Mr. Washington has achieVed wonders,
in his own recognition as a leader and by his
thoughtful addresses, his largest work has been
the founding and the building up of the Normal
and Industrial Institute, at Tuskegee, Alabama.
That institution illustrates what can be accom-
plished under the supervision, control, and teach-

INTRODUCTION. 5

ing of the colored people, and it stands conspic-
uous for industrial training, for intelligent,
productive labor, for increased usefulness in
agriculture and mechanics, for self-respect and
self-support, and for the puriﬁcation of home-life.
A late Circular of the Trustees of Hampton
Institute makes the startling statement that “six .
n1/illigns,o_f,mmﬂegroesare-now living LLLQQ?‘
roomwgabins.” Under such conditions morality
and/progress are impossible. If the estimate be
approximately correct, it enforces the wisdom of
Mr. Washington in his earnest crusade against
“the one-room cabin”, and is an honorable tribute
to the revolution wrought through his students
in the communities where they have settled.
Every student at Tuskegee, in the proportion
of the impression produced by the Principal,
becomes a better husband, a better wife, a better
citizen, a better man or woman. A series of
useful books on the “Great Educators” has been
published in England and the United States.
While Washington cannot, in learning and phi-
losophy, be ranked with Herbart, Pestalozzi,
Froebel, Hopkins, Wayland, Harris, he may be
truly classed among those who have wrought
grandest results on mind and character.

J. L. M. CURRY.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

 

CHAPTER.
I.
II.
III.
IV.

V.
VI.
VII-

VIII.
IX.

XI.

XII.
XIII.
XIV.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.
BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD....................... I3
BOVHOOD IN WESTVIRGINIA........................ 23
LIFE AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE........................ 35
HOW THE FIRST SIx YEARS AFTER GRADUATION FROM

HAMPTONWERESPENT.... ..... 43
THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK AT TUSKEGEE.......... 53
THEFIRSTYEARATTUSKEGEE............... ..... ..59

THE STRUGGLES AND SUCCESS OF THE WORKERS AT
TUSKEGEE FROM 1882 To I884 67_

THE HISTORY OF TUSKEGEE FROM I884 TO 1894 . . . . . . . 88

INVITED TO DELIVER LECTURE AT FISK UNIVERSITY. . .113

THE SPEECH AT THE OPENING OFITHE COTTON STATES’

EXPOSITION........................ ........ ......I25
ANAPPEAL FOR]USTICE.............. ....... ........I59
HONORED BYHARVARD UNIVERSITY.. ........ ..._.....175
URGED FORACABINET POSITION.....................I93

THE SHAW MONUMENT SPEECH, THE VISIT OF SECRE-
TARY JAMES WILSON, AND THE LETTER To THE

LOUISIANACONVENTION..............,.....,.......201
'1

8

CHAPTER.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

CUBAN EDUCATION AND THE CHICAGO PEACE JUEILEE
ADDRESS .............. . ...... 222

THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY T0
TUSKEGEE.. ................ ..... 239
THE TUSKEGEE NEGRO CONFERENCE. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .“255
AVACATIONINEUROPE ............... .,............27I

THE WEST VIRGINIA AND OTHER RECEPTIONS AFTER

EUROPEAN TRIP .................... . ..... . . . . . . . .292
NATIONAL NEGRO BUSINESS LEAGUE .......... . ....... 309
THE MOVEMENT FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT ...... 335

A DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK OF THE TUSKEGEE INSTI-

‘TUTE IIIIII OI... lllllllllllll OIOOOC'OOCOOOOOOI'COO349

LOOKING BACKWARD ................... . ..... . . . . . . .369

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

 

PAGE

Booker T. Washington and Family ................. Frontispiece
Prince Henry Receiving Booker T. Washington ............ 2
Dr. J. L. M. Curry ....................................... ... 3

Mr. Washington and Two of his Distinguished Friends and
Supporters—Pres. William McKinley, Gov. J. F. Johnston, 12

The House in Virginia where Booker T. Washington was born, I 3
Little Booker and his Mother Praying to be Delivered from

Slavery. (Original Illustration.) .......................... 14
Little Booker a Favorite with his Master—Is Allowed to Peep
into the Parlor of the Big House .......................... 15

The House in which Booker T. Washington’s Family Lived in
West Virginia, at the Time he Left for Hampton Institute. 22

The Cabin in Old Virginia where Booker T. Washington

Lived when a Boy ........................................ 23
“This ﬁred my ambition to learn to read as nothing had done
before.” (Original Illustration.) ............ , .............. 30
“Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation." (Original
Illustration.) .............................................. 31
“Booker Starting for Hampton Institute." (Original Illustra-
tion.) ..................................................... 35
Booker T. Washington Rehearsing his Graduating Oration
at Hampton. (Original Illustration.) ...................... 34
Teachers at Tuskegee Institute—Warren Logan, Lewis
Adams, and John H. Washington ......................... 46
A Brilliant Trio of Colored Americans—E. J. Scott. Edgar
Webber, T. Thomas Fortune .............................. 47

A Group of Mr. Washington’s Warm Friends and Supporters
—-Rev. R. C. Bedford, Ex-Pres. Grover Cleveland, Gov.

G. W. Atkinson ........................................... 62
9

10. 7 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

‘ ’ PAGE
Distinguished Americans who have Introduced Mr. Washing-

ton on Public OccasionswEx-Governor Bullock, Hon. Joseph
A. Choate, William Harper, Pres. of Chicago University... ,63

Olivia Davidson Hall at Tuskegee Institute ..... . ............ 75
Cassidy Industrial Hall—Erected by Students, Tuskegee Nor-
mal and Industrial Institute ............................... 79
Booker T. Washington's Residence, Tuskegee, Ala .......... 94
Faculty Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute—Eighty-
eight Teachers ............................................ 95
Bird’s-eye View of the Grounds of the Tuskegee Normal and
Industrial Institute ................................. enclosed
Printing-press Room—They do Their Own Printing at Tuske-
gee Institute .............................................. :58
Paint Shop—Students at Work .............................. 159

President Eliot Conferring Honorary Degree upon Mr. Wash-
ington at Harvard University, June 24, 1896. (Original

Illustration.) .............................................. 175
Senior Class in Pswhology, Tuskegee Institute .............. I90
Brickmaking at the Tuskegee Brickyard ..................... I9I
A Corner in a Millinery Room, Tuskegee Normal and Indus-

trial Institute ............................................. 206
Girls at Tuskegee Learning Dairying ................ . . ...... 207
Mrs. Olivia Davidson Washington. . .......... .. . . .. ..........222
Girls at Tuskegee Engaged in Floriculture ................... 223
Mr. Washington Making a Speech at the Chicago Peace Jubi-

lee, October 19, 1898. (Original Illustration.) .............. 174
Laundry Building at Tuskegee Institute ...................... 3 03

Porter Hall—First Building Erected of Tuskegee Institute. . .302

Bird’s-eye View of the Grounds and Review Stand at Tuske-
gee, December 16, 1898, when President McKinley and

Party Visited the Institute. . . . . . . . ........................ 238
Waiting fer the Procession to Pass at the Time of President
McKinley’s Visit to Tuskegee .............................. 239

Shoe Shop, Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute ..... .. . 313
Cooking at Tuskegee Institute ............................. 319

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 11

Young Women at Work in the Sewing Room, Tuskegee Instr“.
tute ....................................................... 334
Girls at Tuskegee Engaged in Horticulture .................. 335
Mathematical Float, December 16, 1898, at Tuskegee Normal
and Industrial Institute ......................... . ......... 250
Student Carpenters at Work on the Trade’s Building ......... 251
Agricultural Building at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial
Institute .................................................. 255
Blacksmith Shop—Built by Students ......................... 2 54

Dressmaking at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. .1271
Bee Culture at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. . . .270

Tuskegee Negro Conference, February 22, rSgg—Negro Farm-
ers Coming Out of the Dining Hall ........................ 286

Tailoring Division, Tuskegee Institute ...................... 237

Reception Given Booker T. Washington after his return from
Europe, by Gov. G. W. Atkinson at Charleston, W. Va. . . . 3292

Mr. Washington’s New Residence. . . ............... .... . .293
President McKinley and Party Watching the Parade. . . . . . . . .350

Science Hall—Erected by Students at Tuskegee Normal and
Industrial Institute ..................................... . . .35,

A View of the Machine Shop—Students at Work ............. 366
Harness Making and Carriage Dressing at Tuskegee Institute, 367
The New Chapel—Built by Students ....................... . . no
Alabama Hall, Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute ..... m

FloatuRepresenting Tinning Department, Passed in Parade
on the Occasion of President McKinley’s Visit to the Tuske—

gee Institute .............................................. (126
Bird’s-eye View of Some of the Floats at the Tuskegee Insti-

tute, December I6, 1898. ............................... , '127
Carnegie Library ............................. .., ............ 362

Teaching Cotton Raising in Africa ................. . .. ..... 363

5m
U
u

YA

 

. W ._

‘1.“ my
MR. WASHINGTON AND TWO OF HIS DISTINGUISHED FRIENDS
AND SUPPORTERS.

 

 

THE HOUSE IN VIRGINIA WHERE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON WAS BORN. (STILL STANDING.)

' CHAPTER I.

BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD.

Many requests have been made of me to write
something. of the story of my life. Until re-
cently I have never given much consideration to
these requests, for the reason that I have never
thought that I had done enough in the world to
warrant anything in the way of an autobiography;
and I hope that my life, work, by reason of my
present age, lies more in the future than in the
past. My daughter, Portia, said to me, not
long ago: “Papa, do you know that you
have never told me much about your early
life, and your children want to know more about
you.” Then it came upon me as never before
that I ought to put something about my life in
, writing for the sake of my family, if for no other
reason.

I will not trouble those who read these lines
with any lengthy historical research concerning
my ancestry, for I knowgnothing of my ancestry
beyond my mother. My mother was a slave on
a plantation near Hale’s Ford, in Franklin County,

———..

I am indebted to and beg to thank Mr. E. Webber for valu- ’
able assistance rendered in connection with the preparation
of this publication. BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON.

13

14 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Virginia, and she was, as I now remember it, the
cook for her owners as well as for a large part of p
the slaves on the plantation. The ﬁrst time that
I got a knowledge of the fact that my mother and
I were slaves, was by being awakened by my
mother early one morning, while sleeping in a
bed of rags, on the clay ﬂoor of our little cabin.
She was kneeling over me, fervently praying as
was her custom to do, that some day she and
her children might be free. The name of my
mother was Jane. She, to me, will always re-
main the noblest embodiment of womanhood with
which I have come in contact. She was wholly
ignorant, as far as books were concerned, and, I
presume, never had a book in her hands for two
minutes at a time. But the lessons in virtue and
thrift which she instilled into me during the
short period of my life that she lived will never
leave me. Some people blame the Negro for not
being more honest, as judged by the Anglo-
Saxon’s standard of honesty; but I can recall
many times when, after all was dark and still, in
the late hours of the night, when her children had
. been without sufﬁcient food during the day, my
mOther would awaken us, and we would ﬁnd that
she had gotten from somewhere something 1n the
way of eggs or chickens and cooked the food
during the night for us. These eggs and chickens
were gotten without my master’s permission or

 

LITTLE BOOKER AND HIS MOTHER PRAYING TO BE
DELIVERED FROM SLAVERY.

 

LITTLE BOOKER. A FAVORITE WITH HIS MASTER, IS ALLOWED
TO PEEP INTO THE PARLOR OF THE “BIG HOUSE.”

BOOKER r. WASHINGTON. 15

knowledge. Perhaps, by some code of ethics,
this would be classed as stealing, but deep down
in my heart I can never decide that my mother,
under such circumstances, was guilty of theft.
Had she acted thus as a free woman she would
have been a thief, but not so, in my opinion, as a
slave. After our freedom no one was stricter
than my mother in teaching and observing the
highest rules of integrity. \

Who my father was, or is, I have neVer been
able to learn with any degree of certainty.
I only know that he was a white man.

As nearly as I can get at the facts, I was born
in the year 1858 or 1859. At the time Icame into
the world no careful registry of births of people of
my complexion was kept. My birth place was near
Hale’s Ford, in Franklin County, Virginia.
It was about as near to Nowhere as any locality
gets to be, so far as I can learn. Hale’s Ford,
I think, was a town with one house and a post-
ofﬁce, and my birth place was on a large planta-
tion several miles distant from it.

I remember very distinctly the appearance of
the cabin in which I was born and lived until
freedom came. It was a small log cabin about
12x16 feet, and without Windows. There was no
ﬂoor, except one of dirt. There was a large
opening in the center of the ﬂoor, where sweet
pogatoes were kept for my master’s family dur:

I

16 THE STORY or 'MY LIFE AND WORK,

ing the winter. In this cabin my mother did the
cooking, the greater part of the time, for my
master’s family. Our bed, or “pallet,” as we
called it, was made every night on the dirt ﬂoor.
Our bed clothing consisted of a few rags gathered
here and there.

One thing I remember more vividly than any
other in connection with the days when I was a
slave was my dress, or, rather, my lack of dress.

The years when the war* was in progress be-
tween the States were especially trying to the
slaves, so far as clothing was concerned. The
Southern white people found it extremely hard to
get clothing for themselves during that war, and,
of course, the slaves underwent no little suffering
in this respect. The only garment that I remem-
ber receiving from my owners during the war
was a “tow shirt.” When I did not wear this
shirt I was positively without any garment. In
Virginia, the tow shirt was quite an institution
/ during slavery. This shirt was made of the
refuse ﬂax that grew in that part of Virginia, and
it was a veritable instrument of torture. It was stiff
and coarse. Until it had been worn for about six
weeks it made one feel as if a thousand needle
points were pricking his ﬂesh. I suppose I
was about six years old when I was given one of
these shirts to wear. After repeated trialsthe

 

*Thc War of the Rebellion, 1860—65.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 17

torture was more than my childish ﬂesh could en-
dure and I gave it upin despair. To this day the
sight of a new shirt revives the recollection of the
tortures of my ﬁrst new shirt. In the midst of
my despair, in connection with this garment, my
brother John, who was about two years older
than I, did me a kindness which I shall never for-
get. He volunteered to wear my new shirt for
me until it was “broken in.” After he had worn
it for several weeks I ventured to wear it myself,
but not without pain.

Soon after my shirt experience, when the win-
ter had grown quite cold,I received, my ﬁrst pair
of shoes, These shoes had wooden bottoms, and
the tops consisted of a coarse kind of leather.
I have never felt so proud since of a pair of
shoes.~ '

As soOn as I was old enough I performed what,
to me, was important service, in holding the
horses, and riding behind the white women of
the household on their long horseback rides,
which were very common in those days. At one
time, while holding the horses and assisting
,, quite a party of visiting ladies to mount their
horses, I remember that, just before the visitors
rode away,a tempting plate of ginger cakes was
brought out and handed around to the visitors.
This, I think, was the ﬁrst time that I had ever
seen any ginger cakes, and a very deep impres

18 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

sion was made upon my childish mind. I re-
member I said to myself that if I ever could get
to the point where I c0uld eat ginger cakes as I
saw those ladies eating them, theheight of my
ambition would be reached.

When I grew to be still larger and. stronger
the duty of going to the mill was intrusted to me;
that is, a large sack containing three or four
bushels of corn was thrown across the back of a
horse and I would ride away to the mill, which
was often three or four miles distant, wait at the
mill until the corn was turned into meal, and then
bring ithome. More than once, while perform-
ing this-service, the corn or meal got unevenly
balanced on the back of the horse and fell off
into the road, carrying me with it. This left me
in a very awkward and unfortunate position. I,
of course, was unable, with my small strength, to
lift the corn or meal upon the horse’ 8 back, and
therefore would have to wait, often for hours,
until someone happened to be passing along the
road strong enough to replace the burden for me.

My owner’ s name was Jones Burroughs, and I
am quite sure he was above the average in the
treatment of his slaves. That is, except in a few
cases, they were not cruelly whipped. Although
I was born a slaye, I was too young to experience
much of its hardships. The thing in connection
with slavery that has left the deepest impression

HOOKER T. WASHINGTON. _ 19

on me was the instance of seeing a grown man,
my uncle, tied to a tree early one morning, strip-
ped naked, and someone whipping him with a
cov hide. As each blow touched his back the
cry, “Pray, master! Pray, master!” came from
his lips, and made an impression upon my boyish
heart that I shall carry with me to my grave.

When I was still quite a child,I could hear the
slaves in our “quarters” whispering in subdued
tones that something unusual—~the war—was
about to take place, and that it meant their free-
dom. These whispered conferences continued,
especially at night, until the war actually began.

While there was not a single slave on our plan-
tation that could read a line, in some way we
were kept informed of the progress of the war
almost as accurately as the most intelligent per-
son. The “grapevine” telegraph was in constant
use. When Lee surrendered,all of the planta-
tion people knew it, although all of them acted as
if they were in ignorance of the fact that anything
unusual had taken place.

Early one morning, just after the close of
the war, word was sent around to the slave
/ cabins that all the slaves must go to the
“big house,” the master’s house; and in company
with my mother and a large number of other
slaves, including my sister Amanda and brother
John, I went to the “big house,” and stood by the

2-0 THE STORY OF MY LIFE‘AND WORK,

side of my mother, and listened to the reading of
some papers and a little speech. made by the man
who read the papers. This was the ﬁrst public
address I had ever heard, and I need not add
that it was the most effective one to which it had
ever been my privilege to listen. After the read-
ind of the paper, and the speech, my mother
leaned over and whispered, “Now, my children,
we are free.” This act was hailed with joy by
all the slaves, but it threw a tremendous respon-
sibility upon my mother, as well as upon the other
slaves. A large portion of the former slaves
hired themselves to their owners, while others
sought new employment; but, before the begin‘
ning of the new life, most of the eX-slaves left the
plantation for a few days at least, so as to get the
' “hang” of the new life, and to be sure that they
were free. My mother’s husband, my stepfather,
had in some way wandered into West Virginia
during the war, and had secured employment in
the salt furnace near Malden, in Kanawha coun»
ty. Soon after freedom was declared he sought
out my mother and sent a wagon to bring her and
her children to West Virginia. After many days
of slow, tiresome traveling over the mountains,
during Which we suffered much, we ﬁnally
reached Malden, and my mother and her husband
were united after a long enforced separation.
The trip from Franklin county to Malden,

BOOKER’ T. WASHINGTON. 21

West Virginia, was the ﬁrst one that had taken
me out of the county where I was born, and, of
course, it was quite an event, especially to the
children of the family, although the parting from
the old homestead was to my mother a very seri-
ous affair. All of our household and other goods
were packed into a small wagon drawn by two
horses or mules. I cannot recall how many days

it took‘us to make this trip, but it seems to me,
as I recall it now, that we were at least ten days.

Of course we had to sleep in the wagon, or What
was more often true, on the ground. The chil-

dren walked a great portion of the distance.

One night we camped near an abandoned log
cabin, and my mother decided that, instead of
cooking our frugal meal in the 'open air, as she
had been accustomed to do on the trip, she would
build a ﬁre in this cabin and we should both cook
and sleep in it during the night. When we had
gotten the ﬁre well started, to the consternation of
all of us, a large and frightful looking. snake came
down the chimney. This, of course, did away
with all idea of our sheltering ourselves in the
cabin for the night, and we slept out in the open
air, as we had done on previous occasions.

Since I have grown to manhood it has been my
privilege to pass over much of the same road
traveled on this ﬁrst trip to West Virginia, but
my recent journeys have been made in well-ap-

22 _ THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

pointed steam cars. At the time I ﬁrst traveled
through that part of Virginiaand West Virginia
there was no railroad, and if there had been we
did not have the money to pay our fare.

At the close of the war our family consisted of

my mother, step-father, 'my brother John and
sister Amanda. My brother John is director of
the mechanical department of the Tuskegee
Institute, and my sister, now Mrs. Amanda John-
son, lives in Malden, West Virginia. Soon after
we moved to West Virginia my mother took
into our family, notwithstanding our own poverty,
a young orphan boy who has always remained a
part of our family. We gave him the name of
James B. Washington. He, now grown to man-
hood, holds an important position at the Tuske-
gee Institute. ,

‘ While I have not had the privilege of return-
” ing to the old homestead in Franklin county,
Virginia, since I left there as a child immediately
after the war, I have kept up more or less corres-
pondence with members of the Burroughs family,
and they seem to take the deepest interest in the
progress of our work at Tuskegee.

 

THE HOUSE IN WHICH BOOKER T. WASHINGTON’S FAMILY LIVED IN WEST VIRGINIA AT THE TIME HE
LEFT FOR HAMPTON INSTITUTE.

 

THE CABIN IN OLD VIRGINIA WHERE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON LIVED WHEN A SMALL BOY.

CHAPTER II.

BOYHOOD IN WEST VIRGINIA.

We began life in West Virginia in a little
shanty, and lived in it for several years. My
step-father Soon obtained work for my brother
john and myself in the salt furnaces and coal
mines, and we worked alternately in them until
about the year 1871. Soon after we reached
West Virginia a school teacher, Mr. William
Davis, came into the community, and the col-
ored people induced him to open a school. My?
step-father was not able to spare me from work,
so that I could attend this school, when it was
ﬁrst opened, and this proved a sore disappoint
ment to me. I remember that soon after going
to Malden, West Virginia, I saw a young colored
man among a large number of colored people,
reading‘a newspaper, and this ﬁred my ambition to
learn to read as nothing had done before. I said
to myself, if I could ever reach the point where I
could read as this man was doing, the acme of
my ambition would be reached. Although I
could not attend the school, I remember that, in
some way, my mOther secured a book for me,
and although she could not read herself, she
tried in every way possible to help me to do so.

Every barrel of salt that was packed in the
23 .

1».

24 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

mines was marked, and by watching the letters
that were put on the salt barrels I soon learned
to read. As time went on, after considerable
persuasion on my part, my step-father consented
to permit me to attend the public school half of
the day, provided I would get up very early in
the morning and perform as much work as possi-
‘ ble before school time. This permission brought
me great joy. By four o’clock in the morning I
was up and at my work, which continued until
nearly nine o’clock. The ﬁrst day I entered
school, it seems to me, was the happiest day that
Ihave ever known. The ﬁrst embarrassment I
experienced at school was in the matter of ﬁnd-
ing a name for myself. I had always been called
“Booker,” and had not known that one had use
for more than one name. Some of the slaves
took the surnames of their owners, but after free-
dom there was a prejudice against doing this,
and a large part of the colored people gave
themselves new names. When the teacher called
the roll, I noticed that he called each pupil by
two names, that is a given name and a surname.
When he came to me he asked for my full name,
and I told him to put me down as “Booker
Washington,” and that name I have borne ever
since. It is not every school boy who has the
privilege of choosing his own name. In intro-
ducing me to an audience in Essex Hall, Lon-f

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 25

don, during my visit to Europe, in the summer
of 1899, Honorable Joseph H. Choate, the Amer-
ican Ambassador, said that I was one of the feW
Americans that had had the opportunity of
choosing his own name, and in exercising the
rare privilege I had very naturally chosen the
best name there was in the list.

My step-father seemed to be over careful that
I should continue my work in the salt furnace
until nine o’clock each day. T hispractice made
me late at school, and often caused me ‘to miss
my lessons. To overcome this I resorted to a
practice of which I am not now very prOud, and it
is one of the few things I did as a child of which I 4
am now ashamed. There was a large clock in
the salt furnace that kept the time for hundreds
of workmen connected with the salt furnace and
.coal mine. But, as I found myself continually
late at school, and after missing some of my les-
sons, I yielded to the temptation to move forward
the hands on thedial of the clock so as to give
enough time to permit me to get to school in
time. This went on for several days, until the
manager found the time so unreliable that the
clock was locked up in a case. p \

It was in Malden that I ﬁrst found out what a
Sunday school meant. I remember that I was
playing marbles one Sunday morning in the road
with a number of other boys, and an old colored

26 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

. man passed by on his way to Sunday school. He
‘ spoke a little harshly to us about playing marbles on
Sunday, and asked why we did not go to Sunday
school. 7 He explained. in a few broken though
plain words what a Sunday school meant and
-what beneﬁt we Would get from it by going.
His words impressed me so that I put away my
marbles and folloWed him to Sunday school, and
thereafter was in regular attendance. I remem-
ber that, some years afterwards, I became one of
, the teachers in this Sunday school and ﬁnally be-

came its superintendent.
N o matter how dark the days or how discourag-

ing the circumstances, there was never a time in my
youth when the ﬁrm resolution to secure an educa-
tion, at any cost, did not constantly remain with me.
Next came the unpleasant coal mine experience.
My step-father was not able, however, to per-
mit me to continue in school long, even for a half
day at the time. I was soon taken out of school
‘ andgput‘ to work in the coal mine. As a "child I
recall now the fright which, going a long distance .
under the mountaininto a dark and damp coal mine,
gave me. It seemed to me that the distance
, from the opening of the mine to the place where
I had to work was at least a mile and a half.
Although I had to leave school I did not give up
my search for knowledge. I took my book into
» the coal mine, and during the spare minutes I

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. - 27

tried to read by the light of the little lamp which
l‘iung on my cap. Not long after I began to
p work in the mines my mother hired some one to
teaCh me at night, but often, after walking a con:
siderable distance for a night’s lesson, I found
that my teacher knew but little more than I did.
This, however, was not the case with Mr.
William Davis, my ﬁrst teacher.

After working in the Coal mine for some time,
my mother secured a position for me as house
boy in the family of General Lewis Ruffner. I
went to live with this family with a good many
fears and doubts. General Ruffner’s wife, Mrs.
Viola Ruffner, had the reputation of being very
strict and hard to please, and most of the boys
who had been employed by her had remained
only a short time with her. After remaining
With Mrs. Ru'ffner a While, I grew weary of her
exact manner of having things done, and, without
giving her any notice, I ran away and hired my-
self to a steamboat captain who was plying a
boat between Malden and Cincinnati. _Mrs. Ruffner
was a New England woman, with all the New En-
gland ideas about order, cleanliness and truth. The
boat “captain hired me as a waiter, but before the!
boat had proceeded many miles towards Cincin-
nati he found that I knew too little about waiting
on the table to be of any service, so he discharged
me before I had'been on his boat for many hours.

28 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

In some way, however, I persuaded him to take me
to Cincinnati and return me to Malden. As soon
as I returned home, I returned to Mrs. Rufl‘ner,
acknowledged my sins, and secured my old posi-
tion again. After I had lived with Mrs. Ruffner
for a while she permitted me to attend school
for a few hours in the afternoons during three
months, on the condition that I should work faith-
fully during the forenoon. She paid me, or
rather my step-father, six dollars per month and
board for my work. When I could not get the ‘
Opportunity to attend school in the afternoon I
resorted to my old habit of having some one
teach me at night, although I had to walk a good
distance after my work was done in order to do
this.

While living with Mrs. Ruffner I got some
very valuable experience in another direction, that
of marketing and selling vegetables. Mrs. Ruff-
ner was very fond of raising grapes and vege-
tables, and, although I was quite a boy, she en-
trusted me with the responsibility of selling a
large portion of these products. I became very
fond of this work. I remember that I used to go
to the houses of the miners and ’prevail upon them
to buy these things. I think at ﬁrst Mrs. Ruff-
ner doubted whether or not I would be honest in
these transactions, but as time went on and she
found the cash from these'sales constantly in-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 29

creasing, her conﬁdence grew in me, and before I
left her service she willingly trusted me with any-
thing in her possession. I always made it a
special point to return to her at the end of each
campaign as a salesman every cent that I had re-
ceived and to let her see how many vegetables or
how much fruit was brought back unsold.

At one time I remember that, when I passed
by an acquaintance of mine when I had a large
basket of peaches for sale, he took the liberty of
walking up to me and taking one of the ripest
and most tempting peaches. Although he was a
man and I was but a boy, I gave him to under-
stand in the most forceful manner that I would
not permit it. He seemed greatly surprised that
I would not let him take one peach. He tried to
explain to me that no one would miss it and that
I would be none theworse off for his taking it.
When he could not bring me to his way of think-
ing he tried to frighten me by force into yielding,
but I had my way, and I am sure that this man
respected me all the more for being honest with
other people’s property. I told him that if the
peaches were mine I would gladly let him have
one; but under no circumstances could I consent
to let him take Without a protest that which was
entrusted to me by others. It happened very
often that as I would pass through the streets
with a large basket of grapes or other ‘fruit,’

30 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

many of the larger boys tried by begging and
then by force to dispossess me of a portion Of
what had been given me to sell, but I think
there was no instance when I yielded. From
my earliest childhood I have always had it im-
planted in me that it never pays to \be dishonest,
and that reward, at some time, in some manner,
for the performance of conscientious duty, will,
alWays come, and in this I have never been disap-
pointed.

I wish to add here that there are few instances
of a member of my race betraying a speciﬁc
trust.‘ One of the best illustrations of this which
I know of, is in the case of an eX-slave from Vir-
ginia, whom I met not long ago in a little town
in the state of Ohio. I found that this man had i
made a contract with his master, two or three
years previous to the EmanCipation Proclamation,
to the effect that the slave was to buy himself,
by paying so much per year for his body; and
while he was paying for himself, he was to be
permitted to labor where and for whom he.
pleased. Finding that he could secure better
wages in Ohio, 'he Went there. When freedom ’_
came, he was still in debt to his master some
three hundred dollars. Notwithstanding that
the Emancipation Proclamation freed him from
'any obligation to his master, this black man
walked the greater portion of the distance back

 

 

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t$~‘~f~\:\ ~~:\\\~\ MN‘ s:‘~."~“~“~\:‘::‘
.k‘:?&\\~\~“\w~\.ﬁ ‘ ""‘~‘~§§3t

 

'THIS FIRED MY AMBITION TO LEARN TO READ. AS NOTHING
HAD DONE BEFORE.”

 

READING OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. THE SMALL LAD WITH SLOUCH HAT. AND STICK
IN RIGHT HAND. IS BOOKER.—Text page 19.

BOOKER T.WASH1NGTo‘N. , ' 31.,

to where his old master lived in Virginia, and
placed the last dollar, with interest, in his l1 ands.
In talking to me about this, the man told me that
he knew he did not have to pay the debt,
but he had given his word to his master, and
’ his word he had never broken. He felt that he
could not enjoy his freedom till he had fulﬁlled
his promise
In all,I must have spent about four years in
the employ of Mrs. Ruffner; and I here repeat
what I have said more than once, that aside from
the training I got at the Hampton Institute under
General Armstrong, Mrs. Ruffner gave me the
most valuable part of my education. Her habit-of
requiring everything about her to be clean, neat and
orderly, gave me an education in these respects
that has been most valuable to me in the work
that I have since tried to accomplish. At ﬁrst I
thought that her idea of strict honesty and punctu-V
ality in everything meant unkindness, but I sOon \
learned to understand her and she to understand
me, and she has from the ﬁrst time that I knew
her. until this day proven one of the best friends I
ever possessed.
One day, while I was at work 1n the coal mine,
I heard some men talking about a school in Vir-

ginia, where they said that black boys and girls
were permitted to enter, and where poor students

were given an opportunity of working, for their
3 .

~32 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

board, if they had not money with which to pay
for it. As soon as I heard of this institution,I
made up my mind to go there. After I had lived
with Mrs. Ruffner about four years I decided to
go to the Hampton Institute, in Virginia, the
school of whichI had heard. I had no deﬁnite
idea about where the Hampton Institute was, or -.
how long the journey was. Some time before
starting for Hampton, I remember,I joined the
little Baptist church, in Malden, of‘which I am
still a member.

Of my ancestry Iknow almost nothing. While
in slave quarters, and even later, I heard whis-
pered conversations among the colored people of
the tortures which the slaves, including, no doubt, ‘
my ancestors on my mother’s side, suffered in the
middle passage of the slave ship while being con-
veyed from Africa to America. I have been
unsuccessful in securing information that would
throw any accurate light upon the history of
my family beyond my mother. She, I remem-
ber, had a half-brother and a Half-sister. In the
days of slavery, not very much attention was
given to family history and family records—that
is, black family records. My mother, I suppose,
attracted the attention of a purchaser who was
afterward my owner and hers. Her addition to
the slave family attracted about as much atten-
tion as the purchase of ,a new horse or cow. Of

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 33

my father I know even less than of my mother.
I only know that he was a white man, but who-
ever he was, I never heard of his taking the least
interest in me, or providing in- any way for my
rearing. But I do not ﬁnd especial fault with him.
He was simply another unfortunate victim of the
institution which the nation unhappily had en-
grafted upon it at that time.

 

 

BOOKER’T. WASHINGTON REHEARSING HIS GRADUATING
ORATION AT HAMPTON. HIS FIRST SPEECH.

 

LITTLE BOOKER STARTING FOR HAMPTON INSTITUTE.

CHAPTER III.
LIFE AT HAMPTON INSTITUTE.

After my mother and brother John had
secured me a few extra garments, with what I
could proVide for myself, I started for Hampton
about the ﬁrst of October, 1872. 'How long I
was on this journey I have at this time no very .
deﬁnite idea. Part of the way I, went by rail-
road, part in a stage, and part on foot. I re-
member that when I got as far as Richmond,
Virginia, I was completely out of money, and
knew not a single person in the city. Besides, I
had never been in a city before. I think it was
about nine o’clock at night that I reached Rich-
mond. I was hungry, tired and dirty, and had
no where to go. ,I wandered about the streets
until about midnight, when I felt completely "
exhausted. ’

By chance I came to a street that had a plank
sidewalk, and I crept under this sidewalk and
spent the night. The next morning I felt very
much rested, but was still quite hungry, as it had
been some time since I had a good meal- When
I awoke, I noticed some ships not far from where
I had spent the night. -I went toone of these

vessels and asked the captain to permit me to
35 ~

36 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

work for him, so that I could earn some money
to get some food. The captain very kindly gave
me work, which was that of helping to unload
pig iron from the vessel. In my rather weak
and hungry condition I found this hard work,
but I stuck to it, and was given enough money
to buy a little food. My work seemed to have
pleased the master of the vessel so much that he
furnished me with work for several days, butI
continued to sleep under the sidewalk each night,
‘ for I was anxious to save enough money to pay
my passage to Hampton.

After working on this vessel for some days, I
started again for Hampton, and arrived there in
a day or two, with a surplus of ﬁfty cents in my
pocket. I did not let any one know how forlorn
my condition was. I feared that if I did, I
would be rejected as one that was altogether too

unpromising. The ﬁrst person I saw after
I reaching the Hampton Institute was Miss Mary
F; Mackie, the Lady Principal. After she had
asked me many searching questions, with a
good deal of doubt and hesitation in her man-
ner,I was assigned to a room. She remarked
at the same time that it would be decided later
whether I could be admitted as a student. I
shall not soon forget the impression that the
sight of a good, clean, comfortable room and bed
made upon me, for I had not slept in a bed since

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 37

I left my home in West Virginia. Within a
few hours I presented myself again before Miss
Mackie to hear my fate, but she still seemed to
be undecided. Instead of telling me whether or
notI could remain, I remember, she showed

me a large recitation room and told me to
sweep it. I felt at once that the sweeping of that

room would decide my case. I knew I could
sweep, for Mrs. Ruffner had taught me that art
well. I think that I must have swept that room
over as many as three times, and dusted it the
same number of times. After awhile Miss
Mackie came into the room and rubbed her
handkerchief over the tables and benches to see
if I had left any dust, but not a particle could she
ﬁnd. She remarked with a smile, “I guess we
will try you as a student.” At that moment I
think I was the happiest individual that ever
entered the Hampton Institute.

After I had been at the Hampton Institute a day
or two I saw General Armstrong, the Principal,
and he made the impression upon me of being the
most perfect specimen of man, physically, men-
tally and spiritually, that I had ever seen; and
I have never had occasion to change my ﬁrst im-
pression. In fact, as the years went by and as I
came to knOw him better, the feeling grew. I
have never seen a man in whom I had such con-
fidence. It never occurred to me that it was pos-

38 THE' STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

sible for him to fail in anything that he undertook
to accomplish. I have sometimes thought that
the best part of my education at Hampton was
obtained by being permitted to look upon
General Armstrong day by day. He was a man -
who could not endure for a minute hypocrisy or
want of truth in any one. This moral lesson he
impressed upon every one who came in contact
with him.

After I had succeeded in passing my “sweeping
examination,” I was assigned by Miss Mackie to
the position of assistant janitor. This position,
with the exception of working on the farm for
awhile, I held during the time I was a student at
Hampton. I took care of four or ﬁve class rooms;
that is, I swept and dusted them and built the
ﬁres when needed. A great portion of the time
Ihad to rise at foui o’clock in the morning in
order to do my work and ﬁnd time to prepare my
lessons.

7 Everything was very crude at Hampton when
I ﬁrst went there. There were about two hundo

, red students. There was but one substantial

building, together with some old government bar-
racks. There were no table cloths on the meal
tables, and that which Was called tea or coffee
was served to us in yellow bowls. Corn bread
was our chief food. Once a week we got a taste .
of white bread.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 39

While taking the regular literary and industrial
courses at Hampton, next to my'regular studies
I was most fond of the debating Societies, of
which there were two or three. The ﬁrst subject

that I debated in public was whether or not the

execution of Maj. Andre was justiﬁable. After
I had been at Hampton a few months I helped to
organize the “After Supper Club.” I noticed
that the students usually had about twenty
minutes after tea when no special duty called
them; so about twenty-ﬁve of us agreed to come
together each evening and spend those twenty
minutes in the discussion of some important sub-
ject. These meetings were a constant source of
delight, and were most valuable in preparing us
for public speaking.

While at Hampton my best friends did not
know how badly off I was for clothing during a
large part of the time, but I did not fret about
' that. I always had the feeling that if Icould get
knowledge in my head, the matter of clothing
would take care of itself afterwards. At one
time I was reduced to a single ragged pair of ~
cheap socks. These socks I had to wash over
night and put them on the next morning.

After I had remained at Hampton for two
years I went back to West Virginia to spend my :
four months of vacation. Soonhafter my return
to Malden my mother, who was never strong,

40 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

died. I do not remember how old I was at this
time, but I do remember that it was during my
vacation from Hampton. I had been Without
work for some time, and had been off several
miles looking for work. On, returning home at
night I was very tired, and stopped in the boiler-‘
room of one of the engines used to pump salt
Water into the salt furnace near my home. Iwas
so tired that Isoon fell asleep. About two or
three o’clock in the morning some one, my brother
John, I think, found me and told me that our
mother was dead. It has always been a source
of indescribable pain to me that I was not present
when she passed away, but the lessons of truth,
honor and thrift which she implanted in me while
she lived have remained with me, and I consider
them among my most precious possessions. She
seemed never to tire of planning ways for me and
the other children to get an education and to make
true men and women of us, although she herself
was without education. This was the severest
trial I had ever experienced, because she always
sympathized with me deeply in every effort that
I made to get on in the world. My sister
Amanda was too young to know how to take
care of the house, and my step-father was too
poor to hire anyone. Sometimes we had food
, cooked for our meals and sometimes we did not.
During the Whole of the summer, after the death

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 41

of my mother,I do not think there was a time
when the whole family sat down to a meal to-
gether. By working for Mrs. Ruffner and oth-
ers, and by the aid of my brother John, I
obtained money enough to return to Hampton in
the fall, and graduated in the regular course in
the summer of 1875.

Aside from Gen. Armstrong, Gen. Marshall
and Miss Mackie, the persons who made the
deepest impression upon me at Hampton were
Miss Nathalie Lord and Miss Elizabeth Brewer,
two teachers from New England. I am espec-
ially indebted to these two for being helped in my
spiritual life and led to love and understand the
Bible. Largely by reason of their teaching, I
ﬁnd that a day rarely, if ever, passes when I am
at home, that I do not read the Bible. Miss Lord
was the teacher of reading, and she kindly con-
sented to give me many extra lessons in elocution.
These lessons I have since found most valuable

to me.
Life at Hampton was a constant revelation

to me; it was constantly taking me into a new
world. The matter of having meals at regular
hours, of eating on a tablecloth, using a napkin,
the use of the bath-tub and of the tooth-brush, as
well as the. use of sheets upon the bed, were all
new to me.

I sometimes feel that the most valuable lesson

42 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

I learned at the Hampton Institute was the
use of the bath. I learned there for the ﬁrst
time some of its value, not only in keeping the
body healthy, but in inspiring self-respect
and promoting virtue. In all my travels in the
South and elsewhere, since leaving Hampton,
I have always in some way sought my daily bath.
To get it sometimes when I have been the guest
of my own people in a single-roomed cabin has
not always been easy to do, except by slipping
away to some stream in the woods. I have.
always tried to teach my people that some pro-
vision for bathing should be a part of every
house. A -
" After ﬁnishing the course at Hampton, I went
to Saratoga Springs, in New York, and was a
waiter during the summer at the United States
Hotel, the same hotel at which I» have several _
times since been a guest upon the invitation of
friends.

CHAPTER IV.

HOW THE FIRST SIX YEARS AFTER GRADUATION
I FROM HAMPTON WERE SPENT.

In the fall of I87 5 I returned to Malden and
was elected as the teacher in the school at Malden,
the ﬁrst school that I ever attended. I taught
this school {Or three years. The thing that
I recall most pleasantly in connection with my‘
teaching was the fact that I induced several of
my pupils to go to Hampton and that_..most of
them have become-strong and useful men. One
of them, Dr. Samuel E. Courtney, is now a suc-
cessful physician in Boston and has been a mem-
ber of the Boston Board of Education. While ,
teaching I insisted that each pupil should come
to school clean, should‘have his or her hands and
face washed and hair combed, and should keep
the buttons on his or her clothing.

I not only taught school in the day, but for a
great portion of the time taught night school. In
addition to this I had two Sunday schools, one at
a place called Snow Hill, about two miles from
Malden, in the morning, and another in. Malden in
the afternoon. The average attendance in my

day school, was, I think, between eighty and
43

44 - THE STORY OF MY LIFE ANDWORK,

ninety. As I had no assistant teacher it was
a very difﬁcult task to keep all the pupils inter-
ested and to see that they made progress in their
studies. I had few unpleasant experiences, how-
ever, in connection with my teaching, Most of
the parents, notwithstanding the fact that they
and many of the children knew me as a boy,
seemed to have the greatest conﬁdence in me
and respect for me, and did everything in their
power to make the work pleasant and agreeable.
One thing that gave me a great deal of satis-
faction and pleasure in teaching this school was
the conducting of a debating society which met
weekly and was largely attended both by the
young and older people. It was in this debating
society and the societies of a similar character at
Hampton that I began to cultivate Whatever tal-
ent I may have for public speaking. While in
Malden, our debating society would very often
arrange for debates with other similar organiza-
tions in Charleston and elsewhere. ,
Soon after I began teaching, I resolved to
induce my brother John to attend the Hampton
Institute. He had been good enough to work
. for the family while I was being educated, and
‘ besides had helped me in all the ways he could,
by working in the coal mines while I had been
away. Within a few months he started for Hamp-
ton and by his own efforts and my aid he went

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. / 45

through the institution. After both of us had
gotten through Hampton we sent our adopted
brother James there, and had the satisfaction of
having him educated under Gen. Armstrong.

In. 1878 I Went to Wayland Seminary, in
Washington, and spent a/year in study there.
Rev. G. M. P. King, D. D., was President of
Wayland Seminary while I Was a student there.
Notwithstanding I was there but ashort time,
the high Christian character of Dr. King made a
lasting impression upon me. The deep religious
spirit which pervaded the atmosphere at Way-
land made an impression upon me which I trust
will. always remain.

Soon after my year at Wayland was completed,
I was invited by a committee of gentlemen in
Charleston, West Virginia, to stump the state of
West Virginia in the interest of having the
capital of the state moved from Wheeling, West
Virginia, to Charleston. For some time there
had been quite an agitation in the state on the
question of the permanent location of the capital.
A law was passed by the legislature providing
that three cities might be voted for; these were,
I think, Charleston, Parkersburg and Martinsburg.
It was a three-cornered contest and great energy ’
was shown by each city. After about three "
months of campaigning the voters declared in
favor of Charleston as the permanent capital,by

46 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

a large majority. I went into a large number of
the counties of West Virginia, and had the satis-
faction of feeling that my efforts counted for
something in Winning success for Charleston,
which is only ﬁve miles from my old home,
Malden. ‘ '

The speaking in connection with the removal
of the capital rather ﬁred the slumbering ambition
which I had had for some time to become a
lawyer, and after' this campaign was over I-began
in earnest to study law, in fact read Blackstone
and several elementary law books preparatory to
the profession of the law. A good deal of my
reading of the law was done under the kind
direction of the Hon. Romes H. Freer, a white
man who was then a prosperous lawyer in Char-
leston and who has since become a member of
Congress. But notwithstanding my ambition to '
become a lawyer, I always had an unexplainable
feeling that I was to do something else, and that
Inever would have the opportunity to practice
law. As I analyze at the present time the feel-
ing that seemed to possess me then, I was im-
pressed with the idea that to conﬁne myself to
the‘practice of law would be going contrary to
my teaching at Hampton, and would limit me to
a much smaller sphere of usefulness than was
open” to me if I followed the work of educating
myvpeople after the manner in which I had been

 

 

 

WARREN LOGAN, Treasurer.
TEACHERS AT TUSKEGEE IN TITUTE.

 

 

EMMETT J. SCOTT, Mr. Washington’s Private Secretary.
A BRILLIANT TRIO OF COLORED AMERICANS. ENTHUSIASTIC
SUPPORTERS OF MR. WASHINGTON.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 47‘

taught at Hampton. The course of events, how-
ever, very soon placed me where I' found an
opportunity to begin my life’s work. ‘
My work in connection with the removal of the
capital had not been completed long when I re-
ceived an invitation from Gen. Armstrong, much
to my surprise, to return to Hampton and deliver
the graduates’ address at the next commence-
ment. I chose as the subject of this address,
“The Force that Wins.” All who heard the
address seemed pleased with what I said. After
the address I was further surprised by being
asked by Gen. Armstrong to return to the Hamp-
ton Institute and take a position, partly as a
teacher and partly as a post-graduate student.
This I gladly consented to do. Gen. Armstrong
had decided to start a night class at Hampton for
students who wanted to work all day and study for
two hours at night. He asked me to organize and
teach this class. At ﬁrst there were only about a
half dozen students,but~the number soon grew to
about thirty. The night class at Hampton has
since grown to the point where it now numbers
six or seven hundred. It seems to me that the
teaching of this class was almost the most satis-
factory work I ever did. The students who com-
posed the class worked during the day for ten
hours in the saw mill, on the farm, or in the
lapndry. They were a most earnest set. I soon

"i

48 . THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

gave them the name of the “Plucky Class.”
Several of the members of this.“Plucky Class”
now ﬁll prominent and useful positions. While
Iwas teachingI was given lessons in advanced
subjects, among those who assisted me in that
way being Dr. H. B. F rissell, who was then chap-
lain, but who is now the honored and successful
successor of Gen. Armstrong.

About the time the night class was organized
at 'Hampton, Indians for the ﬁrst time wereper-
mitted to enter the institution. The second year
that I worked at Hampton, in connection with
other duties I was placed in charge of the Indian
boys, who at that time numbered about seventy-
ﬁve, I think. I lived in their cottage with them
and looked after all their wants. I grew to like
the Indians very much, and placed great faith in
them. My daily experience with them convinced
me that the main thing that any oppressed people
needed was a chance of the right kind, and they .
wluld cease to be savages.

I have often wondered if there is a white insti-
tution in this country whose students would have
welcomed the incoming of more than a hundred
companions of another race in the cordial way
that the black students. at Hampton welcomed
the red ones. How often have I wanted to say
to white students that they lift themselves up in
prOportion as they help to lift others, and that

g BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. . 49

the more unfortunate the race and the lower in
the scale of civilization, the more does one raise
one’s self by giving the assistance//

This reminds me of a conve sation which I
once had with the Hon. Frederick Douglass.
At one time Mr. Douglass was traveling in the
state of Pennsylvania, and was forced, on account-
of his color, to ride in the baggage-car, in
spite of the fact that he had paid the same
fare as the other passengers. When some
of the white passengers went to the baggage-
car to console Mr. Douglass, and one ' of
them said to him, “I am sorry, Mr. Douglass,
that you have been degraded in this manner,”
'Mr. Douglass straightened himself up on the box ,
upon which he was sitting, and replied: “They
cannot degrade Frederick Douglass. The soul
that is within me no man can degrade. I am not
the one that is being degraded on account of this
treatment, but those who are inﬂicting it
upon me.” .

My experience has been, that the time to test a
true gentleman is to observe him when he is in
contact withtindividuals of a race that is less for
tunate. than hismown. This is illustrated in no .
better way than by observing the conduct of the
old-school type of Southern gentleman when he is .
in contact with his former slaves or their descend-
ants.

50 THE STORY 01“ MY LIFE AND WORK,

An example of what I mean is shown in a story
told of George Washington, who, meeting a col-
ored man in the road once, who politely lifted his
hat, lifted his own in return. Some of his white
friends who saw the incident, criticised Washing-
ton for his action. In reply to their criticism,
George Washington said: “Do you suppose that
I am going to permit a poor, ignorant colored man
to be more polite than I am P”

At the end of my second year at Hampton as
a teacher, 1n 1881, there came a call from the
little town of Tuskegee, Alabama, to Gen. Arm-
strong for some one to organize and beCome the

Principal of a Normal School, which the people
I wanted to start in that town. The letter to Gen. ‘
Armstrong was written on behalf of the colored
people of the town of Tuskegee by Mr. Geo. W.
Campbell, One of the foremost white citizens of
Tuskegee. Mr. Campbell is still the president of,
the Board of Trustees of the Tuskegee Normal
and Industrial Institute, and has from the ﬁrst
been one of its warmest and most steadfast friends.
When Mr. Campbell wrote to Gen. Armstrong
he had in mind the securing of a white man to
take the prinCipalship of the school. Gen. Arm-
strong replied that he knew of no suitable white
man for the position, but that he could recom-
mend a colored man. Mr. Campbell wrote in
reply that a competent colored man would be

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 51

acceptable. Gen. Armstrong asked me to give
up my work at Hampton and go to Tuskegee in
answer to this call. I decided to undertake the
work, and after spending a few days at my old
home 1n Malden, West Virginia, I proceeded to
the town of Tuskegee, Alabama.

I wish to add here that, in later years, I do not
envy the white boy as I once did. I have learned
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 while trying to
succeed. /.[:ooked at from this standpoint, I
almost reach the conclusion that often the Negro
boy’s birth and connection with an unpopular
race are an advantage, so far as real life is
concerned. /W 1th few exceptions, the Negro
youth must work harder and perform his tasks
even better than a. white youth in order to secure
recognition/ But out of the hard and unusual
struggle through which he is compelled to pass,
he gets a strength, a conﬁdence that one misses
whose pathway is comparatively smooth by
reason of birth and race.

From any point of View, I had rather be what
I am, a member of the Negro race, than to be
able to claim membership with the most favored
of any other race. I have always been made sad
when I have heard members of my race claiming
rights and privileges, or certain badges of dis-

 

52 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

tinction, on the ground simply that they were
members of this or that race, regardless of their
own individual worth or attainments.

CHAPTER V.

THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK AT TUSKEGEE.

Before starting for Tuskegee I found it almost
impossible to ﬁnd the town on any map, and
had difﬁculty in learning its exact location. I
reached Tuskegee about the middle of june,
1881. I found it to be a town of some 2,000
inhabitants, about half of whom were Negroes, '
and located in what is commonly called the
“Black Belt,” that is, the section of the South
where the Negro race largely outnumbers the
white population. The county in which Tuske-
gee is located is named Macon. Of Tuskegee
and Macon CountyI prefer to quote the words
of Maj. W. W. Screws, the editor of the “Mont-
gomery (Alabama) Daily Advertiser,” who vis-
ited Tuskegee in I898, seventeen years after the
Tuskegee Institute was founded. Maj. Screws
says: \

“Just at this time there is probably no place in
the United States, of similar size, so well known
to the people of the country, as this lovely little
city. It has always possessed merits which
brought it conspicuously before Alabamians,‘.for

_in every locality in this and many Sonthern
53 _

54 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

States are noble men and ’Women who received
their educational training here.

“Thomas S. Woodward was one of the earliest
white settlers in Macon County, and was one of
the commissioners appointed to lay off the site
for the court house. He built the ﬁrst house in
the new town, which they called Tuskekee, a
corruption of the old Indian name, Tuskigi,
which is said by Dr. Gatschet to be a contrac-
tion of Taskialgi (warriors). The old Indian
town stood in the fork of the Coosa' and was
the home, part of the time, of the famous half-
breed statesman, Alexander McGillivray. The
name passed in its present form to the county
seat of the new county.

“Tuskegee was settled by men who were well
to do in a material point of View. They owned
rich lands on the creeks and streams and in the
prairie section of the county. This point is on a
high, dry ridge, and from time immemorial has
been noted for its healthfulness. Here came
those who wished to build homes for their fam-
ilies, to have congenial company and to give
their children educational advantages. They did
not desire the projectors of the Montgomery and
West Point Railroad to put the town on its
route, because of the interruption it was feared
would be occasioned ‘to the schools. From the
very beginning of .its existence, education has

.4

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 55

been the main feature of Tuskegee, and through
its schools and colleges a population gathered
here which has never been excelled in point of
reﬁnement, politeness and all the gentle ameni.
ties which tend to make life comfortable.
“The town of Tuskegee was ﬁrst settled
about 1830. James Dent built the ﬁrst house.
The town was ﬁrst laid out in 183 3. Mr. G. W.
Campbell came to the county with his father
from Montgomery in 1835, and at that time
perhaps I 50 people were in and about what now
comprises Tuskegee’s territorial limits. There
was no court house building, and court sessions
were held in a small log house with a dirt ﬂoor.
When court was not in session the building was
used as a school house. The Creek Indians
were in great numbers in the neighborhood, but
they were friendly and peaceful, and in 1836
commenced to move to their far Western home,
going overland to Montgomery, where they
took steamer for New Orleans. Tuskegee is one
of the model towns in the way of good order.
“Among the white settlers here are Dr. W. I.
Gautier, and Messrs. G. W. Campbell, J. W. Bil.
bro, J. O. A. Adams and W. H. Wright. They
have a perfect wealth of interesting reminiscence
connected with the early days of all East Ala-
bama. Although they have passed the three score. '
years, they are hale, healthy men, engaged in»

58 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

business, and set a splendid example of energy and
active life to the younger generation. The ﬁrm
of Campbell & Wright has been in existence, pos-
sibly, longer than any other in Alabama.

“ The Montgomeryand West Point Railroad is
about ﬁve miles distant from Tuskegee, the near-
est station being Chehaw. From there to Tuske-
gee, until about twenty years ago, the usual mode
of conveyance for passengers and baggage was
stage coach and omnibus, while all goods were
transported by wagon. It was a tiresome,
troublesome and expensive method. This difﬁ-
culty has been overcome through the Tuskegee
Railroad which now connects the two points.

“ The population of Macon County before 1860,
was largely heavy landed proprietors. They suf-
fered immensely by the results of the war from
disorganized labor, and reverses stripped them of .
much of their property. The county is almost
exclusively agricultural, and the average yield
year by year, of corn, cotton, peas, potatoes and
other things grown on well regulated farms, is
fairly good.” .

When I reached Tuskegee, I found that Mr.
Lewis Adam's, a colored man of great intelligence
and thrift, who was born a slave near Tuskegee,
'had ﬁrst started the movement to have some kind
of Normal School in Tuskegee for the education
of colored youth. At the time he conceived this

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. - 57

A idea Hon. W. F. Foster and Hon. A. L. Brooks, ‘
both white Democrats, were members of the
Alabama Legislature, and Mr. Adams so inter-
ested them in the movement that they prom-
ised to use their inﬂuence in the Legislature
to secure an annual appropriation of $2,000
toward the expenses of a Normal School, provided
one could be properly organized and started.
Mr. Foster and Mr. Brooks were successful in
their efforts to secure the appropriation, which was
limited in its use to helping to pay teachers. A
Board of three Commissioners was appointed to
control the expenditure of this $2,000. When
. the school was ﬁrst started this board consisted
of Mr. Geo. W. Campbell, Mr. M. B. Swanson
and Mr. Lewis Adams. After the death of Mr. .
Swanson, Mr. C. W. Hare was elected in his
stead. '
When I reached Tuskegee, the only thing that
had been done toward the starting of a school
was the securing of the $2,000. There was no
land, building, or apparatus. I opened the school,
however, on the 4th of July, 1881, in an old
church and a little shanty that was almost ready
to fall down from decay. On the ﬁrst day there
was an attendance of thirty students, mainly
those Who had been engaged in teaching in the
public schools of that vicinity. But these little
buildings, inadequate as they, were, were most

58 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

gladly furnished by the colored people, who from
the ﬁrst day that I went to Tuskegee to the
present time have done everything within their
power to further the interests of the school.
'4 One curious thing that happened in Connection
with the students was, as additional pupils began
to come in, that some of them had been attending
schools taught by some of those who came to the
Tuskegee school, and, in several cases, it hap-
pened that former pupils entered higher classes
than their former teachers.

CHAPTER VI.

,/ THE FIRST YEAR AT TUSKEGEE.

,/ ”After the school had been in session in the old
church and little shanty for several months, I
began to see the necessity of having a permanent
location for the institution, where we could have
the students not only in their class rooms, but get
hold of them in their home life, and teach them
how to take care of their bodies in the matter of
bathing, care of the teeth, and in general cleanli-
ness. We also felt that we must not only teach
the students how to prepare their food, but how
to serve and eat it properly? So long as we had
the students only a few hours in the class room

during the day, we could give attention to none of
these important matters, which our students had

not had an opportunity of learning before leaving
their homes. Few of the students who came
during the ﬁrst year were able to remain during
the nine months’ session, for lack of money,
so we felt the necessity of having industries
where the students could pay a part of their
board in cash. It was rather noticeable that, not-
withstanding the poverty of most of the students

who came to usin the earlier months of the in- .
' 59

80 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

 

stitution, mostg‘: chem had the idea of getting an
education in "order that they. might ﬁnd some
method of living without manual labor; that is,
they had the feeling that to work with the hands
was not conducive to the development of the
highest type of lady or gentleman. This feeling
we wanted to change as fast as possible, by teach-
ing students the dignity, beauty and civilizing
power of intelligent labor.

After a few months had passed, I wrote ,
Gen. J. F. B. Marshall, at that time treasurer of
the Hampton Institute, and put our condition
before him, telling him that there was an
abandoned farm about a mile from the town of
Tuskegee in the market which I could secure at
a very cheap price for our institution. As I had
absolutely no money with which to make the ﬁrst
payment on the farm, I summoned the courage to
ask Gen. Marshall to lend me $500 with which
to make the ﬁrst payment. To my surprise a
letter came back in a few days enclosing a check
for $500. A contract was made for the purchase
of the farm, which at that time consisted of 100
acres. Subsequent purchases and gifts of
adjacent lands have increased the number of
acres at this place to 700, and this is the present
site of the Tuskegee Institute. This has again
been enlarged from time to time by purchases
and gifts of land not adjacent until at present

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 61

the school owns farm lands to the number of
about 2, 500 acres.

After the school had been in session three
months, Miss Olivia A..Davidson, a graduate of
the Hampton Institute and later a graduate of
the Framingham, Mass, Normal School, was
employed as an assistant teacher.

Miss Davidson was teaching among her people
near Memphis, Tennessee, in 1879, whenthe yellow
fever drove her away. She Went to Hampton,
entered the senior class and graduated the follow-
ing spring. She did not go to Hampton, how-
ever, until her application to return to Memphis
to help nurse the yellow fever patients had been
refused by the authorities there. Through friends
she was able to enter the Normal School at F ram-
ingham, Massachusetts, and graduated in the
summer of 1881 ; and, when an assistant at Tus-
kegee was called for, she accepted the work.
Her enthusiasm had won the admiration of her
schoolmates, and from them she received much
assistancefor the school at Tuskegee invafter
years. ,

The success of the school, especially during the
ﬁrst half dozen years of its existence, was due
more to Miss Davidson than any one else. Dur-
ing the organization of the school and in all mat-
ters of discipline she was the one to bring order
out of every difficulty. When the last effort had

62 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

apparently been exhausted and it seemed that
things must stop, she was the one to ﬁnd away out.
Not only was this true at the school, but when a
campaign for money had ended unsuccessfully,
she would start for the North, and money was
sure to be found. ' ,

Our hardest struggle began after we had made
the ﬁrst payment on the farm. We not only had
to secure the money. within a few months with
which to repay Gen. Marshall’s loan, but had to
get the means with which to meet future pay-
ments, and also to erect a building on the farm.
Miss Davidson went among the white and col-
ored families in Tuskegee and told them our plans
and needs, and there were few of either race who
did not contribute either something in cash or
something that could be turned into cash at the
many festivals and fairs which were held for the
purpose of raising money to help , the school. In
many cases the white ladies in Tuskegee contrib-
uted chickens or cakes that were sold for the
beneﬁt of our new enterprise. I do not believe
there was a single Negro family or scarcely an
individual in Tuskegee or its vicinity'that did not
Contribute something in money or in kind to the
school. These contributions were most gladly
made, and often at a great sacriﬁce.

Perhaps I might as well say right here that one
of the principal things which made it easy to start

 

.«grﬂ . ' ‘ -v;"

35'? Raw Riﬂﬁaﬁmn ‘é

 

 

A GROUP OF MR. WASHINGTON’S .WARM FRIENDS AND
SUPPORTERS.

V V . ﬂab; Gﬁvarﬁar
R. aguuaam W

 

DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS WHO HAVE INTRODUCED MR.
WASHINGTON ON PUBLIC OCCASIONS.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 63 —

such a school as now exists near the town of Tusé
kegee was the fact that Tuskegee is inhabited by
some of the most cultured and liberal white peo-
ple to be found in any portion of the South. I
have been into a good many Southern towns, but
I think I have never seen one where the general
aVerage of culture and intelligence is so high as
that of the people of Tuskegee. We have in this
town and the surrounding country a good exam-
ple of the friendly relations that exist between the
two races when both races are enlightened and
educated. Not only are the white people above
the average, but the same is true of the general in-
telligence and acquirements of the colored people.

The leading colored citizen in Tuskegee is Mr.
Lewis Adams, to whom should largely be given
[the honor for. securing the location of the Tuske-
gee Normal and Industrial Institute in the town.
Mr. Adams is not only an intelligent and success-
ful business man, but is one who combines with
his business enterprise rare common sense and
discretion. In the most trying periods of the
growth of the Tuskegee Institute I have always
found Mr. Adams a man on whom I could rely
for the wisest advice. He enjoys the highest
respect and conﬁdence of the citizens of both
races, and it is largely through his power and
inﬂuence that the two races live together in har-
maony and peace in the town.

64 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

After We had raised all the money we could in
Tuskegee for the purpose of paying for the farm
and, putting up the new building, Miss Davidson.
went to Boston, where she had many friends and
acquaintances, and after some months of hard
work she secured enough money to complete
the payment on the farm and return Gen.
Marshall’s loan. In addition she secured means
to complete the payment on our ﬁrst building,
Porter Hall. This building was named after Mr.
H. -A. Porter, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who was
, instrumental in assisting us to secure the largest
gifts for its erection. .

All the while the farm was being paid for we
were holding school daily in the old church and
shanty. The latter at least was well ventilated.
There was one thickness of-boards above and
around us, and this was full of large cracks. Part
of the windows had no sashes and were closed
with rough wooden shutters that opened upward
by leather hinges. Other windows had sashes,
but with little glass in them. Through all these
openings the hot sun or cold wind and rain came
pouring in upon us. Many a time a storm would
leave‘ scarcely a dry spot in either of the two
rooms into which the shanty was divided to make
room for separate classes. These rooms were
small, but into them large classes of thirty or
forty had to be crowded for recitations. ~ Mere

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 65

than once, I remember, when Miss Davidson
and I were hearing recitations, and the rain would
begin pouring down, one of the larger pupils
would very kindly cease his lessons and come and
hold an umbrella over us so that we couldcon-
tinue our work. I also remember that at our
boarding place, on several occasions when it
rained while we were eating our meals, our good
landlady would kindly get an umbrella and hold
it over us while we were eating.

During the summer of 1882, at the end of our
ﬁrst year’s work, I was married to Miss Fannie
N. Smith, of Malden, West Virginia, and we be-
gan housekeeping in Tuskegee early in the fall.
This made a home for our teachers, who had now
been increased to four in number. My wife was
also a graduate of the Hampton Institute. After
earnest and constant work in the interest of the
school, together with her housekeeping duties,
she passed away in May, 1884. One child, Por-
tia M. Washington, was born during our mar-
riage. From the ﬁrst my wife most earnestly
devoted her thought and time to the work of the
school, and was completely one with me in every
interest and ambition. She died, however, before
she had an opportunity of seeing what the school
was destined to be.

- - The following account of her death is taken

66 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

from the Alumni Journal, published at the time at
Hampton:

“The numerous friends of Mr. B. T. Washing-
ton will be pained to learn of the death of his
beloved wife, Mrs. Fannie (Smith) Washington,
class of ’82, which occurred at Tuskegee, Ala-
bama, Sunday, May 4th.

“Her death is indeed, a serious bereavement to'
Mr. Washington, whose acquaintance and regard
for the deceased had begun in their childhood.
Their happy union had done much to lighten the
arduous duties devolving upon him in the man-
agement of his school. To his friends he had
several times expressed the great comfort his
family life was to him.

“We know that all our readers will join us in
extending to him the warmest sympathy in this
sad hour. 4 ’ ‘

“A bright little girl, not a year old, is left to
sustain With her father a loss which she can never
know.”

CHAPTER VII.

THE STRUGGLES AND SUCCESS OF THE WORKERS
AT TUSKEGEE FROM 1882 TO I884.

Soon after securing possession of the farm we
set about putting it into a' conditiOn so that a
crop of some kind might be secured from it
during the next year. At the close of school
hours each afternoon, I would call for volunteers
to take their axes and go into the woods to
assist in clearing up the grounds. The students
were most anxious to give their service in this‘
way, and very soon a large acreage was put into
condition for cultivation. We had no horse or
mule with which to begin the cultivation of the
farm. Mr. George W. Campbell, however, the
president of the Board of Trustees, very kindly
gave us a horse. This was the ﬁrst animal that
the school ever possessed. On the farm there
was an old building that had formerly been used
as a stable, another that had been used as a
chicken coop, and still a third that 'had been used
as a kitchen during ante-bellum days. All of
these three buildings or shanties were duly
repaired and (made to do service as class-rooms

and dormitories.
67

68 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

We had, our ﬁrst services in Porter Hall on
Thanksgiving Day, 1882. Rev. R. C. Bedford,
who was then pastor of the Congregational
Church in Montgomery, and who has since been
one of our trustees- and warmest friends,
preached the Thanksgiving sermon. This was
the ﬁrst Thanksgiving service,I think, that was
everheld in thetown of Tuskegee, and a jOyous
one it was to the people. ‘

By the middle of the second year’s work the
existence of the school had begun to be adver-
tised pretty thoroughly through the state of
Alabama and even in some of the'adjoining
states. This brought to us an increasing num-
ber of students, and the problem as to what to
do with them was becoming a serious one. We
put the girls who did not live in town on the
third ﬂoor of Porter Hall to sleep. The boys we
scattered around in whatever places we were able
to secure. In order to provide a dining room,
kitchen and laundry, to be used by the boarding
department, our young men volunteered to dig
out the basement under Porter Hall, which was
soon bricked up and made to answer its purpose
very well. Old students, however, who to-day
return to Tuskegee and see the large new dining
room, kitchen, and laundry run by steam, are
very much interested in noting the change and
contrast.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 69

Sometimes during the winter of the second
year of the school, we were compelled to put
large numbers of young men in shanties or huts
to sleep, where, there was almost no protection
from rain and cold weather. Often during the
very cold nights I have gone into the rooms of
these students at midnight to see how they were
getting along, and have found them sitting up by
the ﬁre, with blankets wrapped about them, as
the only method of keeping warm. One morn-
ing, when I asked at the opening exercises how
many had been frost-bitten during the cold
weather, not less than ten hands went up. The
teachers were not surprised at this. Still, not-
withstanding these inconveniences and hardships,
I think I never heard a complaint from the lips
,of a single student. They always seemed ﬁlled
with gratitude for the opportunity to go to school
’ under any circumstances.

Very early in‘ the history of the school we
made it a rule that no student, however well off
he might be, was to be permitted to remain ,
unless he did some work, in addition to taking
studies in the academic department. At ﬁrst
quite a number of students and a large number of
parents did not like this rule; in fact, during the
ﬁrst three or four years, a large proportion of the
students brought either verbal or written mes-
sages from their parents that they wanted their

70 ‘ THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK.

children taught books, but did not want them
taught work. Notwithstanding these protests,
we still stuck to our rule. As the years went on
and as the students and parents began to see and
appreciate the value of our industrial teaching,
these protests grew less frequent and less strong.
It is a sufﬁcient explanation to say in regard to
this matter, that it has been ten years since a
single objection has been raised by parents or
students against anyone’s taking part in our indus-
trial work. In fact, there is a positive enthusiasm
among parents and students over our industrial
work, and we are compelled to refuse admission
to hundreds every year who wish to prepare
themselves to take up industrial pursuits. If we
had the room and the means we could give indus-
trial training to a much larger number of students
than are now receiving it. The main burden of
the letters which now come from parents is that
each wants his daughter or son taught some in-
dustry or trade in connection with the academic
branches. I also remember, during the early
history of this institution, that students coming
here who had to pass through the larger cities,
or pass in the vicinity of other institutions, had
the ﬁnger of scorn pointed at them because they
were going to a school where it was understood
that one had to labor. At the present time, hOW-
ever, this feeling is so completely changed that

BOOKER T. W'ASHINGTON. '71

there is almost no portion of the South where
there is any objection brought against industrial
education of the Negro on the part‘of the colored
people themselves. On the other hand, the feel-
ing in favor of it is strong and most enthusiastic.

Almost from the ﬁrst I determined to have the
students do practically all the work of. putting
up the buildings and carrying on the various de-
partments of the institution. Many of our best
friends, however, doubted the practicability of
this, but I insisted that it could be done. I held
that while the students at ﬁrst might make very
poor bricks and do poor brick-masonry, the lesson
of self-help would be more valuable to them in ‘
the long run than if they were put into a build-
ing which had been wholly the creation of the
generosity of some one else. By the end of the
third year the number of students had increased
from 30, with which .we began, to I69; most of
them, however, coming from nearby counties and
other sections of Alabama.

In February, 1883, the State Legislature of
Alabama increased the state appropriation for
the school from two to three thousand dollars
annually, on recommendation of the State Super-
intendent of Public Instruction, Hon. H. Clay
Armstrong. The Committee on Education re-
ported the bill unanimously to the House, and the
Governor recommended its passage. As some

\

7-2 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

ofthe members were not acquainted with the
character of the school, they raised objection to
‘this increase at a time when, by defalcation’of
the state treasurer, reported only the day before,
the state had lost a quarter of a million dollars.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. W. F. Foster,
a member from Tuskegee, and an ex-Confederate
soldier, left the chair, and in an equuent and
effective speech in praise of the work of the
school at Tuskegee, urged the passage of the
bill. On conclusion of Col. Foster’s speech the
bill passed by a large majority vote. Col. Foster
not only interested himself in the passage of the
first bill which gave support from the state to
this institution, but has been one of the warmest
and most helpful friends from that time until the
present. -

In reference to the passage of the bill for an
increased appropriation for the school, Rev. R.
C. Bedford, at that time residing in Montgomery
as pastor of the Congregational Church, wrote to
Gen. Armstrong as follows:

“Gen. S. C. Armstrong, Dear Sir:—

“A short time ago Imade a trip to Tuskegee,
Ala., for the purpose of visiting the State Nor-
mal School for colored people located there, four
of whose ﬁve teachers, together with the Wife of
the Principal, were once pupils of yours at
Hampton Institute. I attended the session of the

BOOKER T. WASHENGTON. 73

school for two days and was exceedingly pleased
with the enthusiastic spirit of both teachers and
‘pupils. One of the encouraging features of the
school is the warm interest it has inspired in
many of the leading white citizens of Tuskegee.
Mr. G. W. Campbell and Mr. Wm. B. Swanson
are among the oldest and most respected citizens
of Macon County. They with Mr. Lewis
Adams, a prominent colored man, constitute the
State Board of Commissioners for the school.
Col. Bowen, Mr. Varner, and C01. W. F. Foster,
speaker of the present Legislature, all citizens of
Tuskegee and familiar with the school, are among
its warmest friends. A short time ago, in con-
versation with Hon. H. Clay Armstrong, our
State Superintendent of Education, I learned that
he was so much pleased with the work of Mr.
Washington and his associates as to recommend
to the Committee on Education to report a bill
giving $1,000 per year additional to the school.
I was present during the debate on the bill. So
interested was C01. Foster in its passage that he
left the speaker’s chair, and upon the ﬂoor of the
House, in an eloquent and effective speech, urged
that it pass. He sat down, and by a vote of 59
to 18, the bill was passed; and it is now a law.
“With this example before us, we need have
no fear as to what the colored people can do if,

74 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

like Mr. Washington and his associates, they will
’ take hold to win.” '

In April, 1883, the school enjoyed a pleasant
visit from Gen. J F. B. Marshall, the treasurer
of Hampton Institute, and the one who had been
generous enough to lend us $500 with Which to
make the ﬁrst payment on the farm. Gen. Mar-
shall’s visit gave us the greatest hope and encour-
agement. He wrote, while ‘at the school, to the
Southern Workman, a paper published at Hamp-
ton Institute, as follows, concerning his visit:

“A few days’ rest from ofﬁce duties being en~
joined upon me recently, I determined to pay a
visit to the Tuskegee school, in which the faculty
and teachers of Hampton Institute naturally feel
a special interest.

“The-Tuskegee farm contains 140 acres and
the boys .are at work clearing a ﬁeld for sugar
cane, which grows well here. They also raise
cottorf, sweet potatoes, peaches, etc. To enable-
them to train the students properly they must
have them board at the school. A building is
very much needed for the accommodation of 100
young men. Mr. Washington says that it will
cost $8,000, if student labor can be made avail-
able in its construction. For this purpose he
' I proposes to build of brick made on the farm,
which has excellent clay. The young men are
impatient to set to work on their building.

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. 75

“Tuskegee is one of the very old towns in the
state, an attractive place of about 2500 inhabis
tants, having several colleges and academies of
high repute for the white youth of both sexes. I
was glad to ﬁnd a very strong temperance senti-
ment here. There were only two bars in town
and they pay a license of about $900 a year each.
N 0 better location could have been chosen.

“The leading white citizens of the place appre-
ciate the importance of Mr. Washington’s work,
and speak of him in high terms. He has evident-
ly won the esteem and conﬁdence of all. Mr.
Foster, the present speaker of the House, in the
State Legislature, lives here, and rendered valu-
able aid in getting the increased appropriation of
the state for Mr. Washington, of Whom he spoke
to me in high praise. ‘

“I am reminded by everything I see here of
our own beginning and methods at Hampton. I
found on my arrival at the school, Which is about
a mile from the village center, a handsome frame
building of two stories With a mansard roof.
Though not yet ﬁnished it is occupied as a school
building and is very conveniently planned for the
purpose, reminding me of. the Academic Hall at
Hampton. The primary school on the Normal
School grounds bears the same relation to it as a
practice school that the Butler does to the Hamp-
ton Institute. It has 2 50 on the roll. They are

76' THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

stored away in what was the stable, close as
crayons in a Waltham box. Let us hope they
will all make their mark. \

“All six teachers of the Normal and Training
Schools are colored; and to their race belongs all
credit for the work accomplished here. and of the
judicious use of the funds which the friends of the
school, through the eff01 ts of Mr. Washington
and Miss Davidson, have contributed.

“The experiment, thus far so successful, is one
of deep interest to all who have the welfare of
the race at heart, and should not he suffered to
fail for want of means for its completion. It is
Vital to the success of this school that the students
should all be, brought under the training and
supervision of the teachers by being boarded and
lodged on the premises. Our experience at
Hampton has shown us the necessity of this. I _
know of no more worthy object, or one conducive
to more important results,tl1an this school. enter-
prise, and I trust the friends of Negro advance-
ment and education will not suffer it to languish
or be hampered for funds. They may rest
assured that these may be Wisely expended and
most worthily bestowed.

“My three days’ visit to Tuskegee was emi-
nently satisfactory and has inSpired me with new
hope for the future of the 1ace.”

The next event in the history of the school was

BOOKER 1‘. WASHINGTON. » 77

the celebration of its second anniversary, com-
bined with the dedication of Porter Hall, corner-
stone of Which had been laid the year before.
The dedication address was delivered by Rev.
Geo. L. Chaney, of Atlanta, now of Boston, One
of the Trustees of the school; and eloquent
speeches were also made by Rev. Morgan Callo-
way, the associate in Emory College of its
president, Dr. Atticus G. Haygood, author of
“Our Brother in Black.” Rev. Mr. Owens, of
Mobile, also made an interesting address.

During the following summer a small frame
cottage with four rooms was put up to hold six-
teen young men, and three board shanties near
the grounds were rented, affording accommoda-
tions for about thirty-six additional students. In
September a boarding department was opened for
both sexes, and as many young men as could be
provided for gladly availed themselves of the
privilege of working out about half of their board
at the school. ,

In 1883 Mr. Warren Logan, a graduate of the
Hampton Institute, who had received special
training in book-keeping under Gen. Marshall at
Hampton, came to Tuskegee as a teacher. He
had not been here long, however, before it was
clearly seen that he could serve the school
effectively in another capacity, as well as a class

room teacher, and he was soon given the position
7

78 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK, '

of Treasurer and book-keeper, in addition to his
duties as an instructor. ~Mr. Logan has now
been connected with the school sixteen years, and
has been its Treasurer during thirteen years of
this time. In addition to the position of treas-
urer, he. ﬁlls the position of Acting Principal in
the absence of the Principal. All of these various
’ and delicate, as well as responsible, duties he has
performed with great ability and satisfaction.

7 Mr. J. H. Washington, my brother, came to
the school from West Virginia in 1885 and took
the position of Business Agent. He was after-
wards made Superintendent of Industries and has
held that position ever since. In the meantime
the school has grown, and his duties as well as
those of Mr. Logan,have broadened and increased
in responsibility. Both he and Mr. Logan, dur-
ing the absence of the. Principal, are in a large
measure the mainstay and dependence of the in-
stitution for counsel and wise direction.

These two men, Mr. ‘Logan and my brother
John, have“ been from the beginning very impor-
tant forces in the school management. As
Treasurer and Superintendent of Industries re-
spectively their responsibilities are heavy, and
how much credit they deserve will never be fully
known till the necessity arises some day to ﬁll their
places. They, with James N. Calloway, a gradu‘
ate of Fisk University, who is the manager of

 

 

 

OLIVIA DAVIDSON HALL, TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

 

 

CASSEDY HALL. 'I‘USKEGEE INSTITUTE. ERECTED BY STUDENTS.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 79

Marshall Farm, Mr. G. W. Carver, Director of
the Agricultural Department, and Mr. M. ’T.
Driver, Business Agent, constitute the Finance
Committee of the Institute, a sort of cabinet for
the Principal.

in September, 1883, a yery pleasant surprise '-
came to the workers in the form of $1,100, seé
cured through Rev. R. C. Bedford from the Trus-
tees of the Slater Fund. I might add right here,
that the interest of the Trustees of the Slater Fund,
now under the control of Dr. J. L. M. Curry,
Special Agent, has continued from that time until
this, so that theinstitution now receives $1 1,000
from the Slater Fund instead of $1,100 at the be-
ginning. With this impetus, a carpenter shop
was built and started, a windmill set up to pump
water into the school building, a- sewing machine
bought for the girls’ industrial room, mules and
wagons for the farm, and the farm manager’s
salary was also paid for nine months.

All during the summer, as was true of the
previous one, Miss Davidsonand myself had been
earnestly presenting our cause at the North with
so much encouragement that the work on the new
building, called Alabama Hall, was vigorously
pushed during the fall and winter. , In February,
1884, about three years after the school was
opeyned, $ 5,000 had been secured towards the

 

80 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

erection of Alabama Hall, which eventually cost
about $10,000.

In March, 1884, Gen. Armstrong did one of
those generous things which he was noted for all
through his life. In fact, from the beginning of
Tuskegee’s life until Gen. Armstrong’s death, he
seemed to take as much interest in the work of
Tuskegee'as in the Hampton Institute, and I am
glad to say the same generous spirit is con-
stantly shown by the successor of Gen. Armstrong,
Dr. F rissell. I received a letter from Gen. Arm-
strong stating that he had decided to hold a num-
ber of public meetings in such cities as Baltimore,
Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and wished
me to accompany him and speak in the interest
of Tuskegee. These meetings were advertised
to be. in the interest of Hampton and Tuskegee
jointly, but in reality they turned out to be meet-
ings in the interest of Tuskegee, so generous was
Gen. Armstrong in his words and actions at these
meetings. The special object aimed at in these
meetings was to secure money with which to
complete Alabama Hall. ‘

~ I quote from an address made at one of these
meetings by myself: “Our young men have
already made two kilns of bricks, and will“ make
all required for the needed building, Alabama
Hall. From the ﬁrst we have carried out the plan
at Tuskegee of asking help for nothing that we

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. \ 81

could do for ourselves. Nothing has been bought
that the students can produce. The boys have
done the painting, made the bricks, the chairs,
tables and desks, have built a stable,and are now-
moving the carpenter shop. The girls do the
entire housekeeping, including the washing, iron-
ing and mending of the boys’ clothing. Besides,
they make garments to sell, and give some atten-
tion to ﬂower gardening.”

In due time, however, by hard work, the re-
mainder of the money, $10,000 in all, necessary
to complete Alabama Hall, was secured, largely in
the North, although not a little was gotten from
friends in and about Tuskegee, especially through
the holding of festivals and other entertainments.

In April, 1884, we received a Visit from the
Lady Principal of the- Hampton Institute, Miss
Mary F. Mackie, who was the ﬁrst one to re-
ceive me when I went to Hampton as a student.
Iiwill say here that, from the visit of Gen.
Marshall up to the present time, we have received
constant visits and encouragement from the
ofﬁcers and teachers of the Hampton Institute.
Miss Mackie, writing to a friend at Hampton,
said: ' -,

“The wish constantly on my lips or in my
heart, since I reached here last evening, is that
you could see this school. I am sure you would
feel, as I do, that the dial of time must have

82 THE STORY OF- MY LIFE AND WORK,

turned back twelve years in its course. In many
respects it is more like the HamptonI ﬁrst knew
than the one of today is; I was particularly struck
with the plantation melodies which Mr. Wash-
ington called for at the close of the evening
prayers; there is more of the real wail in their
music than I ever heard elsewhere. The teachers
here laugh over their exact imitation of the alma
mater ; even the night school feature has sprouted;
to be sure it only numbers two students, but it is
on the same plan as ours. Do you know that Mr.
has lately given them 440 acres of land,
making their farm now 580 acres?”

. The June number of the Southern Letter, a
little paper published by the Institute, contained ’
the following account of commencement, which
took place May 29, 1884: “Many visitors were
present, white and colored. The great interest
‘was in the development of the department of in"- .
dustrial training, which now includes the farm, the
Slater carpenter shop and blacksmith shop, the
, printing ofﬁce, the girls’ industrial room, and the
brick yard, where the students were making
brick for Alabama Hall. The morning exercises,
were, as usual, inspection, recitations and review
of the current news. The speaker of the after-
noon was Prof. R. T. Greener, of Washington,
who delivered a very practical and eloquent ad-

 

 

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 83

dress. Reporters were present from Montgomery
and Tuskegee.”

In the spring of I884, I was very pleasantly
surprised to receive an invitation from the Presi-
dent of the National Educational Association,
Hon. Thos. W. Bicknall, of Boston, asking me to
deliver an address before that body at its next
meeting during the summer. The Association
assembled at Madison, Wisconsin, and I think~I
am safe in saying that there Were at least ﬁve
thousand teachers present, representing every
portion of the United States. This was the ﬁrst
opportunity I had had of presenting the work of
the school to any large audience, especially of
a national character. It was rather late in the
evening before my time to speak came. Several
speakers had preceded me, and one especially had
proven himself to be rather tedious and tiresome
by his long and rather unprepared address, but
this did not discourage me. I determined to
make the best address that I possibly could,
although I was beset by fear and trembling.
The many kind words, however, which I received .,
after my address, assured me that in some
measure my effort had not been a failure. Among
other things I said:

“I repeat that any work looking toward the
permanent improvement, of the Negro in the
South must have for one of its aims the ﬁtting of

84 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

him to live friendly and peaceably with his White
neighbors, both socially and politically. In spite
of all talk of exodus, the Negro’s home is per-
manently in the South, for, coming to the bread
and meat side’of the question, the White man
needs the Negro and the Negro needs the White
man. His home being permanently in the South,
it is our duty to help him prepare himself to live
there, an independent, educated citizen. In order
that there may be the broadest development of
the colored man7 and that he may have an un-
bounded ﬁeld in which to labor, the two races
South must be brought to have faith in each
other. The teachings of the Negro, in various
‘ ways, for the last twenty years, have tended too
much to array him against his white brother,rather
than to put the races in co-operation with each
other. Thus, Massachussetts, supports the Re-
publican party because the Republican party sup-
ports Massachusetts with a protective tariff; but
the Negro supports the Republican party simply
because Massachusetts does. When the colored
man is educated up to the point of seeing that
Alabama and Massachusetts are a long way apart,
that the conditions of life in them are very differ-
ent, and that if free trade enables my White brother
across the street to buy his plows at a cheaper
rate it will enable me to do the same, he
will act in a different way. More than once I

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 85

have noticed that when the whites were in favor
of prohibition, the blacks, led even by sober, up-
right ministers, voted against prohibition, simply
because the whites were in favor of it, and. for
this reason the blacks said that they knew it was
a ‘democratic trick.’ If the whites vote to lay a
tax to build a school house, it is a signal for the
blacks to oppose the measure, simply because the ‘
whites favor it. ' I venture the assertion that the ,
sooner the colored man, South, learns that one
political party is not composed altogether of
angels and the other altogether of devils, and
that all his enemies do not live in his own town
or neighborhood and all his friends in some other
distant section of the country, the sooner will his
educational advantages be enhanced many fold.
But matters are gradually changing in this re-
spect. The black man is beginning to ﬁnd out
that there are those even among the Southern
whites who desire his elevation. The Negro’s
new faith in the white man is being reciprocated
in proportionas the Negro is rightly educated. "
The white brother is beginning to learn by de-
grees that all Negroes are not liars and chicken
thieves. ‘

“Now in regard to what I have said about the _
relations of the two races, there should be no un- ‘
manly cowering or stooping to satisfy unreason-
able- whims of Southern White men; but it is

\

86 7 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

charity and wisdom .to keep in mind the two
hundred years of schooling in prejudice against
the Negro which the eX-slaveholders are called
on to conquer. A certain class of whites object
to the general education of the colored man on
the ground that when he is educated he ceases to
do manual labor, and there is no-ﬁavoiding the fact
that much aid is Withheld from Negro education
in the South by the states on these grounds.
Just, here the great mission of industrial educa-
tion, coupled with mental, comes in. It kills two
birds with one stone, Viz., it secures the co-operav
tion of the whites and does the best possible thing
for the black man.”

Unknown to me, there were a large number of
people present from Alabama, and some from my
oWn home, Tuskegee. These white people
frankly told me afterward that they went to the
meeting expecting to hear the South roundly
abused, but were pleasantly surprised to ﬁnd that
there was no word of adverse criticism in my
address. On the other hand, the South V'as
given due credit for all the good things they had
done towards aiding the Negro. A white lady,
who was a teacher in a college in Tuskegee,
wrote back to the local paper that she was
pleased, as well as surprised, to note the credit
which I gave the White people of T uskegeefor
‘ their aid in getting the school started. This

BOOKER T.‘ WASHINGTON. , 87

address at Madison, Wisconsin, was the ﬁrst that
I had delivered, that, in any large measure, dealt
With the general problem of the races. Those
who heard the address seemed to be pleased with
what I said, and with the position I took.

After this address I began receiving invitations
from a good many portions of the country to de-
liver addresses on the subject of educating the
Negro. At the present, time these applications
have increased to such an extent, and they come
in such large numbers, that if I were to try to
answer even one-third of the calls that come to
me from all. parts of the United States, as well
as other countries, to speak, I Would scarcely
spend a single day at Tuskegee.

CHAPTER VIII.
THE HISTORY OF TUSKEGEE FROM 1884 TO 1894.

From 1884 to 1894. comparatively little was
heard of the school in the public press, yet
that was a period of constant and solid growth.
In I884. the enrollment was 169. In 1894 the
. enrollment had increased to 712, and 54 oﬂicers
and teachers were employed. Besides the
growth in the number of students and instruct-
ors, there had also been quite an increase in
the number of buildings, and in every way the
students were made more comfortable in their
surroundings. By 1893 we~had upon the schOol
grounds thirty buildings of various kinds and sizes,
practically all built by the labor of the students.

Between 1884 and 1894, I think, the hardest
work was done in securing money. Regularly,
during this period, we were compelled, on
account of lack of accommodations, to refuse
many students, but very often they would come
to us under such circumstances that, though
lacking in accOmmodations, we could not have
the heart to turn them away, especially after
they had traveled long distances, as was true in

many cases. Students seemed willing to put up
88

BOOKE-R T. WASHINGTON. 89

with almost any kind of accommodations if they
were given a chance to secure an education.

During this period either Miss Davidson or
myself, or sometimes both of us, spent a great
deal of time in the North getting funds with
which to meet our ever increasing demands.
This, of course, was the hardest and most trying
part of the work. Beginning early in the morn-
ing, the day was spent in seeing individuals at
their homes or in their ofﬁces; and in the even-
ing,and sometimes during the day, too, addresses
were delivered before churches, Sunday Schools,
or other organizations. On many occasions I
have spoken as many as ﬁve times at different
churches on the same Sabbath.

The large increase in the number of students
tempted us often to put up buildings for which
we had no money. In the early days of the
institution by far the larger proportion of the
buildings were begun on faith. I remember at
one time we began a building which cost in the
end about $8,000, and we had only $200 in cash
with which to pay for it; nevertheless the build-
ing was completed after a hard struggle and is
now in constant use.

I remember at one time we were very
much in need of money with which to meet
pressingobligations. I borrowed $4.00 from a
friend, with the understanding that the money

90 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

must be returned within thirty days. On the
morning of the day that the thirty days expired
we were Without the $400 with which to repay
the loan, and were,0f course,very much depressed
in consequence. The mail, however, came in at
about eleven o’clock, and brought a check from a
friend for exactly $400. I could give a number
0f other such instances illustrating how we were
relieved from, embarrassing circumstances in ways
that have alWays seemed to me to have been
providential. Although the institution has had
occasion many times to give promissory notes in
order to meet its obligations, there has never been
a single instance when any of its notes have gone
to protest, and its credit and general ﬁnancial
standing have always been good with the commer-
. cial world. I have felt deeply obligated to the
white and colored citizens of Tuskegee for their
kindness in helping the school ﬁnancially when it
did not have money to meet its obligations. We
have never applied to an individual or to either
of the banks in Tuskegee for aid that we did not
get it when the banks or individuals were able to
aid us. The banks have been more than kind,
often seemingly inconveniencing themselves in
order to be of service to our institution. In the
earlier days of the institution, when we had little
in the way of income, on several occasions I have

started to, the depot, when I had to make a jour-

BoOKER 'T. WASHINGTON. 91

ney away from Tuskegee, with no money in my
pocket, but felt perfectly sure of meeting a friend
in the town of Tuskegee from whom I could get
money, and I have? never been disappointed in
this respect. .

In 1883 we received our ﬁrst donation of $ 500
from the Peabody Fund, through Dr. J. L. M.
Curry, the General Agent. At that time Dr.
Curry formed his ﬁrst acquaintance with Tuske-
gee; and, as I, have stated elsewhere, from then
until now he has been one of our warmest and
most helpful friends. The amount received from
the Peabody Fund has since been increased until
it now ' amounts to twelve or ﬁfteen hundred
dollars each year.

In connection with this appropriation from the
Peabody Fund it may be interesting to relate a
’ conversation which took place between Dr. Curry
and one of the State oﬁ’icers'at Montgomery, A1-
abama. The State oﬂicer in question was telling
Dr. Curry that there were several other schools
in the state that needed help more than Tuske-
gee did; and that, because Tuskegee, through
the efforts of its teachers, was receiving money
from the North and elsewhere which other
schools were not getting, he thought we were
not entitled to help from the Peabody Fund. Dr.
Curry promptly replied that because we were
making an extra effort to get funds which other

92 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

schools were not getting was the strongest reason
why we should be helped; in other words, he
told the ofﬁcer plainly that we were trying to
help ourselves, and for that reason he wanted us
helped from the Peabody Fund.

Through the constant efforts of Miss Davidson
and myself in the North and South, the ﬁnancial
report for the ﬁrst two years of the school showed
receipts amounting to $1 1,679.69. The rapid
increase in the growth of the school and in the
’ conﬁdence with the people may be shown by the
fact that, during the third year of the existence
of the school, the receipts nearly doubled them-
? selves as compared with the second year; we
received the third year the sum of $10,482.78,
which was nearly as much as we received during
the two previous years. By far the larger pro-
portion of this amount came in small sums; very
often amounts came from individuals that were
as small as ﬁfty cents. One of the things that
constantly touched and encouraged us during the
early years of the school was the deep interest
manifested in its success by the old and ignorant
colored people in and near the town of Tuskegee.
They never seemed to tire in their interest and
efforts. They were constantly trying to do some-
thing to help forward the institution. Whenever
_ they had a few chickens or eggs, for example, to

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. 93 '

spare, they would bring them in and make a pres-
ent of them to the school.

The income of the institution for the ﬁfth year
amounted to $20,162.13; for the ninth year,
$30,326; for the eleventh year, $61,023.28; for
the fourteenth year, $79,836. 50.

At the end of the third year we were able to
report that the school owned property unencum-
bered by debt that was valued at $30,000. ‘Dur-
ing the third year Alabama Hall, to which I have
already referred, was completed at a cost of
$10,000.

The report of the school’s history for the fourth .
year shows that we received from all sources
$1 1,146.07. During that year we got into a very
tight place ﬁnancially, and hardly knew which
way to turn for relief. In the midst of our per-
plexity I went to Gen. Armstrong, and he very
kindly loaned the school money to help it out of
its embarrassment, although I afterwards learned
- that it was nearly all of the money that he pos-
sessed in cash.

In my fourth annual report to the Trusteesl
used the following words: “ Greater attention has ‘
{been given to the industrial department this year
than ever before. Three things are accomplished
by the industrial system: (1) The student is
enabled to pay a part of his expenses of board,
books, etc., in labor; (2) He learns how to work;

94 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

(3) He is taught the dignity of labor, In a l the
industrial branches the students do the actual
work,under the direction of competent instruc-
tors.’3 I have not had occasion to change in any
great degree the foregoing sentences as represent-
ing the purpose for which Tuskegee stands.

During the ﬁfth year of our work we were able
also to add a saw mill, through the generosity of
Gen. J. F. B. Marshall, to whom I have already
referred. The addition of this saw mill enabled
us to saw a large part of the lumber used by the
institution.

In order to give many worthy students an op-
portunity to secure an education by working at
some trade or industry during the day and study-
ing at night, we opened in the fall of 1883 our
our ﬁrst night school. The night school was
opened with one teacher and one student.
From this small beginning the night school has
increased, until at this writing there are four hun-
dred and‘ﬁfty students. By «working in the day
l and going to school at night, the night students
earnmoney with which to pay their expenses the
next year in day school, and if they bring a good 7
supply of clothing they can earn enough, together
with what they earn during vacation, to keep
them in school two or three years after they en-
ter day school.

II cannot better indicate the constant growth

 

 

 

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON S FORMER RESIDENCE. TUSKEGEE. ALABAMA.

 

FACULTY. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE—88 OFFICERS AND TEACHERS.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 95

of the school than by giving a description of our
seVenth anniversary, which took place May 31,
1888. There were more than 2,000 people pres-
ent, in spite of rain that came in showers. Dur-
ing the morning, from 9:30 to 12, the regular
work of the entire school was carried on in the
various departments, which were open for inspec-
tion. In addition to the regular work, products
of the shops and farm were exhibited. The
course of study then extended over four years,
with two preparatory classes. It included the
English branches for the literary part, with in-
struction in one or more of the following indus-
tries throughout: Blacksmithing, carpentry,brick-
masonry, brick making, plastering, farni‘ing, stock,
poultryand bee-raising, saw-milling, wheelwright-
i'ng, printing, mattress and cabinet making, sewing,
cutting and ﬁtting, washing and ironing, cooking,
' and general housekeeping. From these various
departments the following articles were exhibited:
'At the blacksmith and wheelwright shop were
seen two one-horse wagons, plow stock, small tools,
express wagon body, wheelbarrow, spring, wagon
seat and various other articles. In the carpenter
shop there were wardrobes, a center and a leaf
table, wash stands, book cases, bedsteads, wash
boards, picture frames, chairs, paneling, moulding,
laths, etc. Inthe printing ofﬁce there was an
exléibit of the general work of the oﬂice,-—-—such

96 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

as blanks, checks, catalogues, promissory notes,
diploma blanks, minutes of associations and con-
ventions, annual reports, bill and letter heads, en-
velopes, circulars, handbills, invitations, business
cards, certiﬁcates, etc., with samples of the two
monthly papers which were then printed at the
institution, the “Southern Letter” and “The
Gleaner.” From the farm and poultry yard,
there were vegetables, hogs, cattle, chickens,
turkeys, guineas, geese, a peacock, eggs, bees
and honey. Mattress and chair making were
features that had been added to the industries
that year, and were especially satisfactory. The
,mattresses exhibited compared favorably with
those made anywhere. In the laundry there was
a tastefully arranged exhibit of laundried bedding,
dresses, collars and cuffs, shirts, ladies’ and gen-
tlemen’s underwear, table linen and towels. The
sewing room showed samples of all kinds of ladies’,
gentlemen’s and children’s clothing, with laces,
mats, tidies, etc. At the brickyard there was a
kiln of 120,000 bricks ready for burning. About
the saw mill there were stacks of its products.
The cooking class had a tempting display of its
w0rk in cakes, jellies, bread, yeast, meats and a.
roast pig.

Among the ﬁrst things seen by a visitor com-
ing to the school from any direction was a large
new brick building—Olivia Davidson Hall. This

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. —- 97

building was almost entirely the product of stu-
dent labor, under the supervision of Mr. Brown, '
instructor in carpentry at that time, who also
planned the building. The school then had three
largeand comfortable buildings. Porter 'Ha’ll
contained recitation rooms, ofﬁces, library and
reading room, chapel and dormitories for boys,
with the school laundry in the basement. Ala-
bama Hall, with a large frame annex built that
year, was used for girls’ dormitories, and con-v
tained, in addition, teachers’ and students’ parlors
and dining rooms and kitchen. Armstrong Hall
contained y0ung men’s dormitories, reading and
sitting rooms, bath room, printing oﬂice and two
recitation rooms. In addition there were several
cottages on the grounds, while a new one and a
large barn, the latter to cost perhaps $2,000,
were in process of erection.

In the early years of the school, the anniver-
sary exercises were held in the school chapel,
which was the small chapel in Porter Hall, but
from year to year the inﬂux of patrons and
friends from far and near had so increased that
the chapel would no longer hold a ﬁfth of them.
That year the audience of 2,000, including the
400 students, was assembled in a rude pavil-
ion built of rough timber and partly covered by
the Wide spreading branches of some'mulberry_
, trees. Here, after partaking of a substantial din-

k

98 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ner furnished by the school and friends, students
and Visitors assembled. A long procession was

' formed of students, teachers and graduates, which

marched from Alabama Hall to the pavilion to
music furnished by the school band, and there the
exercises of the seventh anniversary were held.

There were ten members of the graduating
class of that year, as follows: Andrew J. Wil-
born, Valedictorian, Tuskegee, Ala. ; Letitia B.
Adams, Tuskegee, Ala.; Caroline Smith, Tuske-
gee, Ala.; Shadrach R. Marshall, Talbotton, Ga.;
Philip P. Wright, LaFayette, Ala.; William H;
Clark, Brunswick, Ga.; Eugenia Lyman, Opelika,
Ala.; Sarah L. Hunt, Salutatorian, Sparta, Ga.;
George W. Lovejoy, Olustee Creek, Ala.; Nich-
olas E. Abercrombie, Montgomery, Ala.

The total enrollment for the year was 400. The
school Afarm then contained 540 acres of farm and
timber land. The saw mill had furnished most
of the lumber for the buildings and other carpen-
ter work done that year, and for that purpose saw
logs had been cut from the school land. The
school property was then worth about $80,000.
The income for the year had been $26,755.73.
This amount about covered the expenses. Includ-
ing the ten mentioned above, the school then had
forty-two graduates. During the year previous
all the graduates had been engaged in teaching
for some part of the year. All the members of

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 99

that year’s class were Christians; They went
out as teachers of various kinds in the state of
Alabama. The young women had a knowledge
0f washing, ironing, cooking, sewing and gen-
eral housekeeping,in addition to their intellectual,
attainments. One of the six young men was a
shoemaker, one a carpenter, one had considerable
knowledge of the printer’s trade and one was an
excellent plasterer. The annual address at that
commencement was delivered by Hon. John .R.
Lynch, of Mississippi, and for eloquence, pracr
tical thought and helpful information could hardly
have been surpassed. There were a number of
T uskegee’s best white citizens present, while the
colored citizens came out en masse to witness the
exercises that launched into life three youths from
their own town. Montgomery was represented
by one of her military companies, the “Capital
City Guards,” and 124 of her best citizens, for
whose accommodation special trains were sent
out. I g

In order to emphasize the fact that people at
Tuskegee during its early history were not idle,
I give the daily program which was in effect in
January, 1886: 5a. m., rising bell; 5:50 a.m.,
warning breakfast bell; 6 a. m., breakfast bell;
6:20 a. m., breakfast over; 6:20 to 6:50 a. m.,
rooms are cleaned; 6:50, work bell; 7:30, morn—
ing study hour; 8:20, morning school bell; 8:25,

100 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

inspection of young men’s toilet 'in ranks; 8:40,
devotional exercises in chapel; 8:55, “5 minutes”
with the daily news: 9 a. m., class work be-
gins; 12, class-work clOses; ‘ 12:15 p. m., din-
ner; I p. m., work bell; 1:30 p. m., class work
begins; 3:30 p. m., class work ends; 5:30 p. m.,
bell to “knock off” work; 6 p. m., supper; 7:10
p. m., evening prayers; 7: 30 p. m., evening study
hours; 8:45 p. m., evening study hour closes;
9:20 p. m., warning retiring bell; 9:30 p. m., retir-
ing bell.

Although the period of the school’s history
about which I have written inrthis chapter was
one of constant and substantial growth, it never-
theless was during this period that the school sus-
tained a great loss, as well as I a great personal
bereavement, in the death of my beloved and
faithful wife, Olivia Davidson Washington. In
May, 1889, after four years of married life, she
succumbed to the overtaxing duties of mother
. and assistant principal of the school and passed
away. Her remains were laid to rest amid the
tears ‘of teachers and students. “Her words of
caution, advice, sympathy and encouragement
were given with a judgment that rarely made an
error. Her life was so full of deeds, lessons and
suggestions that she will live on to bless and help
the institution which she helped found as long as
it is a seat of learning."

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 101

Two Wide-awake boys, Baker Taliaferro and
Ernest Davidson, were born to us, who were
(then too young to know their loss. They are
' now twelve and ten years of age respectively;
and they, with my daughter Portia, are a source
of much comfort and joy to me.

Miss Davidson came to the school almost from
the very beginning, she being the next person to
come after myself. I have spokenin other places ‘
of the great assistance she was in helping to build
up the school in its early days. As an estimate
of her worth and character, I beg to quote the
words of the Rev. R. C. Redford, a friend Who
knew her worth and her great help to me and to
Tuskegee. Commenting upon her death Mr.
Bedford said:

“Olivia Davidson was born in Virginia,]une
II, 1854. When only a little child she went
with her parents to Ohio, where she grew up and
received the education afforded by the common
schools of that state. At an early age she went
to Mississippi and there spent ﬁve years as a
teacher on the large plantations. In 1878 she
came north to her native state, and, that she
might more thoroughly ﬁt herself for the work of
a teacher, she entered the Hampton Institute,
from which, in one year, she graduated with
great honor. Her friend, Mrs. Hemenway, of
Boston, greatly desiring that she should prose-

 

 

102 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

cute her studies still further, at her request, she
entered the Framingham, (Mass) Normal
School, from which she graduated in two years.
In August following her graduation she came to
Tuskegee, Ala., to act as assistant to Prof.
Washington, in the State Normal School of which
he had been made principal in the July previous.
From the very ﬁrst it became evident that she
had found her ﬁeld of labor for life. Everything
tended to inspire her to this end. The people
were poor; they were numerous; they were
anxious, and aside from an act of the Legislature
establishing a school, it had, literally, to be
created. The story of her success has often been
told, and in this brief tribute cannot be repeated.»

“August I I, 1885, Miss Davidson was married
to Prof. B. T. Washington, and although she
at once took upon herself the cares of a very busy
home life, she still retained a most important
relation to the school, which no amount of warn-
ing from her friends could persuade her to drop.
Her marriage with Mr. Washington proved a
most happy one, and rarely has it been the lot of
two individuals to be so thoroughly united in
theirilife work. The coming of little Baker into
the home was an occasion of great rejoicing, and
the birth of another son just a few months before
his mother’s death only served to double the joy.

“It was my privilege to meet Mrs. Washing-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 103

ton at Tuskegee when the school had been in ,
operation but little more than a 'year and, as one
of the trustees of the school, I have had an inti-
mate knowledge of her work ever since. It would
require more than human pen to tell how deep
was her love for the school and how thoroughly
her life was consecrated to it. Every grain of
sand on all those beautiful grounds and every
beam and brick in the walls must have felt the
inspiration of her love. No more touching story
could be told than that of her earnest efforts to
raise money from the people about 'l‘uSKegee and
of her toilsome walks in Boston, as from house to
house, and with an eloquence that was rarely re-
fused, she sought funds to provide shelter for the
hundreds of students that were ﬂocking to the
school. Her character made her especially
adapted to all parts of the work in which she was
engaged, and the stamp of her inﬂuence on the
higher life of the school no time can ever efface.
Among a people who make much show of relig-
ion, but often with too little of its spirit, hers was
religion indeed, but with so little of show as
sometimes to make her life a mystery to those -
who did not really know her. The blind and the
poor, and above all the aged, can tell of her relig»
ion as they recall the happy Thanksgiving and
Christmas times when they have sat at her table
and her own hands have ministered to their

 

I

 

104 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

wants, and when in sickness she has visited them
and relieved their sufferings. No woman ever
had a, truer husband or more devoted friends;
and the memory of their kindness will rest, as a
precious legacy, upon the school and upon all who
loved her as long as time shall last.”

While speaking of the ﬁnancial growth of the
school, I must not neglect to indicate its growth
at the same time in students. As I have stated,
the school opened with one teacher and 30
students. "By the end of the ﬁrst year we had
three teachers, including Miss Davidson, Mr.
John Caldwell and myself. For the third session
there were 169 students and 10 teachers. ‘F or
the ﬁfth year there were 279 students and 18
teachers. For the eighth year there were 399
students and 25 teachers. For the tenth year
there were 730 students and 30 teachers. For
the fourteenth year, ending in June, 1895, there

’were 1,013 students and 63 teachers.

In the spring of 1892, at our annual commence-
ment, we had the pleasure and the honor of. a
visit from Hon. Frederick Douglass, who deliv-
ered the annual address to the graduating class,
of that year. This was Mr. Douglass’ ﬁrst Visit
to the far South, and there was a large crowd of
people'from far and near to listen to the words of
that grand old man. The speech was fully up to
the high standard of excellence, eloquence and

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 105

wisdom for which that venerable gentleman was
noted.

Mr. Douglass had the same idea concerning the
importance and value of industrial education that I
' have tried to emphasize. He also held the same
views as I do in regard to‘ the emigration of the
Negro to Africa, and was opposed to the scheme
of diffusion and dissemination of the Negro
throughout the North and Northwest, believing,
as I do,that the Southern section of the country
where the Negro now resides is the best place
for him. In fact, the more I have studied the
life of Mr. Douglass, the more I have been sur-
prised to ﬁnd his far-reaching and generous grasp
of the whole condition and needs of the Negro
race. Years before Hampton or Tuskegee under-v '
took industrial education, in reply to a request
for advice by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe as to
how she could best use a certain sum of money
‘ which had been or was about to be placed in her
hands, Mr. Douglass wrote her in part as follows:

ROCHESTER, March 8, 1853.
MY DEAR MRS. STOWE:

You kindly informed me when at your house
a fortnight ago, that you designed to do some-
thing which should permanently contribute to the
improvement and elevation of the free colored
people in the United States. You especially ex-
pressed an interest in such of this class as had
become free by their own exertions, and desired

 

 

106 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

most of all to be of service to them. In what
- manner and by what means you can assist this
class most successfully, is the subject upon which
you have done me the honor to ask my opinion.

. . . I assert, then, that poveﬁy, ignorance,
and degradation are the combined evils; or in
other words, these constitute the social disease of
the free colored people in the United States.

To deliver them from this triple malady is to
improve and elevate them, by which I mean sim-
ply to put them on an equal footing with their
white fellow-countrymen in the sacred right to
“Life, Lz'berz‘y and the pursuit of happiness.” I
am for no fancied or artiﬁcial elevation, but only
ask fair play. How shall this be obtained? I
ansWer, ﬁrst, not by establishing for our use high
schools and colleges. Such institutions are, in
my judgment, beyond our immediate occasions
and are not adapted to our present most press-
ing wants. High schools and colleges are ex-
cellent institutions, and will in due season be
greatly subservient to our progress; but they are
the result, as well as they are the demand, of a
point of progress which we as a people have not
yet attained. Accustomed as we have been to
the rougher and harder modes of living, and of
gaining a livelihood, we cannot and we ought not ‘
to hope that in a single leap from our low condi-
tion we can reach that of Mz'mlsz‘ers, Lawyers,
Docz‘ors, Editors, Mercimm‘s, etc. These will
doubtless be attained by us; but this will only be
when we have patiently and laboriously, andI
may add, successfully, mastered and passed through
the intermediate gradations of agriculture and

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 107 '

the mechanic arts. Besides, there are (and per-_
haps there is a better reason for my views of the
case) numerous institutions of learning in this
country, already thrown open to colored youth.
To my thinking, there are quite as many facili-
ties now afforded to the colored people as they
can spare the time, from the sterner duties of life,
to judiciously appropriate. In their present con-
dition of poverty they cannot spare their sons
and daughters two or three years at boarding-
schools or colleges, to say nothing of ﬁnding the
means to sustain them while at such institutions.
I take it, therefore, that we are well provided for
in this respect; and that it may be fairly inferred
from the fact, that the facilities for our education,
so far as schools and colleges in the Free States
are concerned, will increase quite in proportion
with our future wants. Colleges have been
opened to colored youth in this country during
the last dozen years. Yet few, comparatively,
have acquired a classical education; and even
this few have found themselves educated far
above a living condition, there being no methods
by which they could turn their learning to ac-
count. Several of this latter class have entered
the ministry; but you need not be told that an
educated people is needed to sustain an educated
ministry. There must be a certain amount of
cultivation among the people, to sustain such a
ministry. At present we have not that cultiva-
tion amongst us; and, therefore, we value in the
preacher strong lungs rather than high learning.
I do not say that educated ministers are not
needed amongst us, far from it. I wish there

108 , THE sTonv on MY LIFE AND WORK,

were more of them; but to increasetheir number
is not the largest beneﬁt you can bestow

' upon us. ,

We have two or three colored lawyers in this

country; and I rejoice in the fact; for it affords

very gratifying evidence of our progress. _Yet it
must be confessed that, in point of success, our
lawyers are as great failures as our ministers.

/ White people will not employ them to the obvious

embarrassment of their causes; the blacks, taking

’ their cue from the whites, have not suﬂicient

conﬁdence in their abilities toemploy them.
Hence educated colored men, among the colored
people, are at a very great discount. It would
seem that education and emigration go together
with us, for as soon as a man rises amongst us,
capable, by his genius and learning, to do us
great service, just so soon he ﬁnds that he can
serve himself better by going elseWhere. In proof
of this, I might instance the Russwurms, the
Garnets, the Wards, the Crummells, and others,
all men of superior ability and attainments, and
capable of removing mountains of prejudice

, against their race, by their simple presence in the

country; but these gentlemen, ﬁnding themselves
embarrassed here by the peculiar disadvantages
to which I have referred, disadvantages in part
growing out of their education, being repelled by
ignorance on one hand, and prejudice on the
other, and having no taste to continue a contest
against suCh odds, have sought more congenial
climes, where they can live more peaceable and
quiet lives. I regret their election, but I cannot
blame them; for with an equal amount of educa-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 109

tion and the hard lot which was theirs, I might
follow their example. ' " '

There is little reason to hope that any consider-
able number of the free colored people will ever be
induced to leave this country, even if such a thing
were desirable. The black man (unlike the In-
dian) loves civilization. He does not make very
great progress in civilization himself, but he likes
to be in the midst of it, and prefers to share its
most galling evils, to encountering barbarism.
Then the love of country, the dread of isolation,
the lack of adventurous spirit, and the thought of
seeming to desert their “brethren in bonds,” are '
a powerful check upon all schemes Of colonization,
which look to the removal of the colored people,
without the slaves. The truth is, dear madam, we
are here, and here we arelikely to remain. Individ-
uals emigrate—nations never. We have grown up
with this republic, and see nothing in her charac- .
ter, or even in the character of the American
people, as yet, which compels the belief that We
must leave the United States. If, then, we are
to remain here, the question for the wise and
good is precisely that which you have submitted
to me—namely: What can be done to improve
the condition of the free people of color in the
United States? The plan which I humbly sub-
mit in answer to this inquiry (and the hope that it
may ﬁnd favor with you, and with the many friends
of humanity who honor, love and co-operate with
you) is the establishment in Rochester, N. Y., or
in some other part of the United States equally
favorable to such an enterprise, of an INDUS-
TRIAL COLLEGE in which shall be taught

1110' THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

several important branches of the'mechanic arts.
This college shall be open to colored youth. I
shall pass over the details of such an institution
as I propose. . . . Never having had a day’ s
schooling 1n my life,I may not be expected to
map out the details of a plan so comprehensive as
that involved 1n the idea of a college. I repeat,
then, that Ileave the organization and adminis-

- tration of the institution to the superior Wisdom

of yourself and the friends who second your noble
efforts. The argument in favor of an Industrial
College (a college to be conducted by the best
men, and the best workmen which the mechanic
garts can afford; a college Where colored youth
can be instructed to use their hands, as well as
their heads; where they can be put in possession
of the means of getting a living wherever their
lot in after life may be cast among civilized or
uncivilized men; Whether they choose to stay
here, or prefer to return to the land of their
fathers) is brieﬂy this: Prejudice against the free
colored people in the United States has shown
itself nowhere so invincible as among mechanics.
The farmer and the professional man cherish no
feeling so bitter as that cherished by these. The
latter would starve us out of the country entirely.
At this moment I can more easily get my son
into a lawyer’ 5 ofﬁce to study law than I can in a

A blacksmith’s shop to blow the bellows and to

wield the sledge-hammer. Denied the means of
learning useful trades, we are pressed into the
narrowest limits to obtain a livelihood. In times
past we have been the hewers of wood and draw-
ers of water for American society, and we once

 

 

 

 

THE NEW CHAPEL, BUILT BY STUDENTS.

 

 

ALABAMA HALL. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 111

enjoyed a monOpoly in menial employments, but
this is so no longer. Even these employments
are rapidly passing away out of out hands. The
fact is, (every day begins with the lesson, and
ends with the lesson) that cOlored men must learn
trades; must ﬁnd new employments; new modes
of usefulness to society, or that they must decay
under the pressing wants to which their condition
is rapidly bringing them.

We must become mechanics; we must build
as well as live in houses; we must make as well
as use furniture; we must construct bridges as
well as pass over them; before we can properly
live or be respected by our fellow-men. We need
mechanics as well as ministers. We need work-
ers in iron, clay, and leather. We have orators,
authors, and other professional men, but these
reach only a certain class, and get respect for our
race in certain select circles. To live here as we
ought we must fasten ourselves to our country-
men through their every-day, cardinal wants.
We must not only be able to black boots, but to
, make them. At present we are in the Northern
states, unknown as mechanics. We give no
proof of genius or skill at the county, state or
national fairs. We are unknown at any of the
great exhibitions of the industry of our fellow
citizens, and being unknown, we are unconsidered.

Wishing you, dear madam, renewed health, a
pleasant passage and safe return to your native
land, I am, most truly, your gratiﬁed friend,

F REDERI CK DOUGLASS.

in October, 1893, I was married to Miss Mar-
8

[’12 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

garet James Murray, a graduate of Fisk Uni-
versity, who came to Tuskegee in 1889 as
a teacher. She has been in every way as much
interested in the advancement of Tuskegee as
myself, and fully bears her share of the responsi-
bilities and labor,- giving especial attention to the
development of the girls and to work among the
women through her mothers’ meetings in various
parts of Alabama and elsewhere.

CHAPTER IX.

INVITED TO DELIVER A LECTURE AT FISK
UNIVERSITY.

In the spring of 1895 I was pleasantly surw
prised to receive an invitation from the Fisk Uni-
versity Lecture Bureau, in Nashville, Tennessee,
to deliver a lecture before that organization. Mr.
Edgar Webber was the president, and presided at
the meeting when I spoke. This was among the
ﬁrst addresses which I‘had delivered in the South
that was fully reported by the Southern press. A
full description of the meeting was given by the
Nashville Daily American and the Nashville Ban-
ner, and papers throughout many portions of the
South contained editorials based upon this address.
It was also my ﬁrst opportunity to speak before
any large number of educated and representative
colored people, and I accepted the invitation very
reluctantly and went to Nashville with a good
deal of fear and trembling, but my effort seemed
to meet with the hearty approval of the greater ‘
portion of the audience.

As the address delivered at Fisk University
on this occasion constitutes in a large measure-”the

basis for many of my other addresses and much
113

114 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK. ‘

of the work I have tried to do, I give in full What
the NashVille American said: ‘

“An intelligent and appreciative audience
composed of prominent colored citizens, students
and quite a large number of white people, crowded
the beautiful and commodious Fisk memorial
chapel last night to hear Prof. Booker T. Wash-'
ington lecture on ‘Industrial Education.’ The
lecture was the ﬁrst given under the auspices of
the Student’s Lecture Bureau of Fisk University,
and was in every way a complete success. Mr.
Washington is a powerful and convincing speaker.
His simplicity and utter unselﬁshness, both in
speech and action,are impressive. He speaks to
the point. He does not waste words in painting
beautiful pictures, but deals mostly with plain
facts. Nevertheless, he is Witty and caused his
audience last night to laugh and applaud repeated-
ly the jokes and striking points of his address.

“Booker T. Washington is doing a great
work for his race and the South. He has the
right views.

“Prof. Washington was introduced by Edgar
Webber, President of the Lecture Bureau, and
among other things he said:

‘I am exceedingly anxious that every young
man and woman should keep a hopeful and cheer-
ful spirit as to the future. Despite all of our dis-
advantages and hardships, ever since our fore-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 115

fathers set foot upon the American soil as Saves,
our pathway has been marked by progress. Think
Of it: We went into slavery pagans; we came
out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of
property; we came out American citizens. We
went into slavery without a language; we came
out Speaking the proud Anglo-Saxon tongue.
We went into slavery with slave chains clanking
about our wrists; we came out with the American
ballot in our hands.

“‘I believe that we are to reach our highest
development largely along thelines of scientiﬁc
and industrial education. For the last ﬁfty years
education has tended in one direction, the cement-
ing of mind to matter.’

“The speaker then said most people had the
idea that industrial education was opposed to lit-
erary training, opposed to the highest develop-
ment. He wanted to correct this error. . He
would choose the college graduate as the subject
to receive industrial education. The more mind
the subject had, the more satisfactory would be
the results in industrial education. It requires
as strong a mind to build a Corliss engine as it
does to write a Greek grammar. Without indus-
trial education, the speaker feared they would be
in danger of getting too many ‘smart men’ scat-
tered through the South. A young colored man
in a certain town had been pointed out to him as

116 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

’ being exceedingly smart, and he had heard of him
as being very accomplished. Upon inquiry,
however, he learned the young man applied his
knowledge and training to no earthly good. ‘He
was just a smart man, that was all.’
“Continuing, the speaker said: ‘As a race
there are two things we must learn to do—one is
to put brains into the common occupations of life,
and the other is to dignify common labor. If we
do not, we cannot hold our own as a race.
Ninety per cent. of any race'on the globe earns
its living at the common occupations, of life, and
the Negro can be no exception to this rule.’
“Prof. Washington then illustrated the import-
- ance of this by citing the fact that while twenty
years ago every large and paying barber shop
over the country was in the hands of black men,
today in all the large cities you cannot ﬁnd a
single large or ﬁrst class barber shop operated by
colored men. The black men had had a
monopoly of that industry, but had gone on from
day to day in the same old monotonous way,
without improving anything about the industry.’
As a result the white man has taken it up, put
brains into it, watched all the ﬁne points, improved
and progressed until his shop today was not
known as a barber shop, but as a tonsorial parlor,
and he was no longer called a barber,but a tonsorial
- artist. Just so the old Negro man with his bucket

‘BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 117 '

of whitewash and his long pole and brush had
-- given way to the white man who had applied
his knowledge of chemistry to mixing materials,
his knowledge of physics to the blending of colors,
and his knowledge of geometry to ﬁguring and
decorating the ceiling. But the white man was
not called a whitewasher; he was called a house
decorater. He had put brains into his work, had
given dignity to it, and the old colored man with
the long pole and bucket was a thing of the past.
The old Negro woman and her wash tub were
fast being supplanted by the White man with his
steam laundry, washing over a hundred shirts an
hour. The many colored men who had formerly
earned a living by cutting the grass in the front
yards and keeping the ﬂower beds in trim were
no competitors for the white man, who, bringing
his knowledge of surveying and terracing and
plotting land, and his knowledge of botany and
blending colors into active play, had dignified and
promoted the work. He was not called a grass
cutter or a yard cleaner, but a ﬂorist or a land-
scape gardener. The old black ‘mammy’ could
never again enter the sick-room, where she was
once known as a peerless nurse. She had given
place to the tidy little white woman, with
her neat white cap and apron, her knowledge
of physiology, bandaging, principles of diseases
and the administration of», medicine, who had

118 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND' WORK,

digniﬁed, beautiﬁed and gloriﬁed the art of
nursing and had turned it into a profession. Just .

so, too, the black cook was going out of date

under the inﬂuence of the superior knowledge and
art of cookery possessed by white ‘chefs,’ who
were educated men and commanded large
salaries.

“ ‘N ow,’ said the speaker, ‘what are we going
to do? Are we going to put brains into these
common occupations? Are we going to apply
the knowledge we gain at school? Are we go-
ing to keep up with the world, or are we going
to let these occupations, which mean our very
life blood, slip from us? Education in itself is "
worthless; it is only as it is used that it is of _
value. A man might as well ﬁll his head with so
much cheap soup as with learning, unless he is
going to use his knowledge.’

“Prof. Washington said that he had been told
that the young colored man is cramped, and that "
after he gets his education there were few
chances to use it. He had little patience with
such argument. The idea had been too prevalent
that the educated colored man must either teach,
preach, be a clerk or follow some profession. The
educated colored men must, more and more, go
to the farms, into the trades, start brickyards,
saw-mills, factories, open coal mines; in short,

 

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 119

apply their education to conquering the forces of
nature.

“One trouble with the average Negro,'said
the speaker, was that he was always hungry, and
it was impossible to make progress along educa-
tional, moral or religious lines while in that con-
dition. It was a hard matter to make a Christian
out of a hungry man. It had often been con-
tended that the Negro needed no industrial
education, because he already knew too well how
to work. There never was a greater mistake,
and the speaker compared, as an illustration, the
white man with his up-to-date cultivator to the
‘one gallused’ Negro with his old plow, patched
harness and stiff-jointed mule.

“The speaker was inclined to fear that the
Negro race laid too much stress on their griev-
ances and not enough on their opportunities.
While many wrongs had been perpetrated on
them in the South, still it was recognized by all
intelligent colored people that the black man has
far better opportunity to rise in his business in
the South than in the North. While he might
not be permitted to ride in the ﬁrst-claSs car in the
South, he was not allowed to help build that ﬁrst-
class car in the North. He could sooner conquer
Southern prejudice than Northern competition.
The speaker found that when it came ‘to business,
pure and simple, the black man in the South was

 

 

120 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

put on the same footing with the white man, and
here, said he, was the N eO'ro’s great opportunity.
The black man could always ﬁnd a purchaser for
his wares among the whites.

“Prof. Washington concluded with an appeal to
his race to use the opportunities that are right
about them,and thus grow independent.

“He has made a lasting impression on the minds
of all who heard him. If he continues his wonder-
ful career he will be classed with Douglass as a .
benefactor to the Negro raCe.’

The Memphis Commercial- -Appeal a few days
after this address was delivered contained an edi-
torial concerning it. I quote that in full because
it isamong the ﬁrst editorials from a Southern
newspaper concerning my addresses and the work
at Tuskegee, and also because it shows that the ef-
forts put forth at Tuskegee in behalf of industrial
education for the Negro have had the effect of
awakening not only the Negroes,but even the
Southern whites,to the necessity of more educa-
tion of this kind. The editorial is as follows:

“Prof. Booker T. Washington, a short time
since, delivered an address before the students of
Fisk University, in which he advocated industrial
education for the Negro race. The address has
received considerable attention and evoked many
favorable comments, and the theme is one worthy
of far more consideration than it has ever received

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 121

in the South. Our interest in the matter, however,
does not particularly concern its application to
the Negro. We are chieﬂy interested for the
Southern whites and the South itself. The South
is just about to enter an era of industrial de-
velopment that will be almost without parallel.
Its progress will be all the more rapid because of
the long delay that has allowed other ﬁelds to be
exhausted before the Vast wealth of our natural
resources began to be developed. The one great
drawback to the development of the south has
been the lack of skilled and educated labor, and
in the great industrial awakening that is upon us
the skill to manage and operate our mills and
factories and convert our abundant crude material
into ﬁnished products must come from the North,
unless something is done to educate our own
people in the industrial arts. The opening of the
eyes of the world to the vast natural wealth of
the South will then simply mean that strangers
will come in and dispossess our own people of
their vintage and turn to their own account the
opportunities we have never learned to employ.
We must awake to the fact that we are face to
face with a new civilization. The old, order
changeth, giving place to the new. We must
adjust ourselves to the changed conditions, or be
left behind in the march of progress. We must
catch the spirit of modern progress and achieve-

122 . THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ment,or be rooted out by those that have. The
great men— of this generation are not statesmen,
lawyers, orators or poets. The richest rewards of
intellectual effort go to those who know how to
bring ‘the forces of nature to aid the processes of
production; in the natural era that is now, upon
us this will be especially true of the South. The
men who have the capacity for taking active and
effective part in the development of our resources,
for the management of mills and factories, for
contributing skilled labor; to the fashioning of
crude material into ﬁnished product, these are
the men who will reap the mighty harvest and
the men who Will possess and rule our country.
The same is true of the farm as well as the fac-
‘ltory. The crude and unskilled methods of
" Southern agriculture must give way to more
scientiﬁc tillage. If our own farmers cannot learn
the lesson they must be displaced by those that
know it. i.

“All the Southern States are doing much in
the way of educating the people; but without
disparaging the value of the learning obtained in
our schools, how much of it goes to prepare the
young for grappling with the conditions that sur-
round them or will help to make them masters
or successful workers in the great ﬁeld of modern-
progress? Look at the vast wealth of unde-
veloped resources that encompasses almost every

BOOKER T. \VASHINGTON. 123

Southern community. Look at the fertile ﬁelds
or the worn lands still in bondage to ignorant
labor and an ante-bellum agricultural system. '
Will a knowledge of grammar or of Greek convert
our coal, ouriron and our timber into wealth, or
make our ﬁelds bountiful with the harvest? The
plain truth is that much ’of the learning obtained
in our schools is wasted erudition. The young are
not only not educated with reference to the con-
ditions of the age, but their minds are carefully and
systematically trained in other directions. They
see no triumphs of intellect except in politics or
the ‘learned professions.’ Their imaginations are
inﬂamed by stories of how men from humble
beginnings became great statesmen, great orators
and great lawyers. The result is that thousands
miserably fail because their little book learn-
ing has diverted them from occupations in which
they might have achieved honorable success and
even distinction. These men who might have
become machinists become pettifogging lawyers, .
quack doctors or small-bore politicians. Indusg
trial education is the great need of the South,
because industrial skill and educated labor are to
be the factors of its future progress, and these are
to reap the richest rewards it will have to bestow.
If our own children cannot be prepared to take
their part in the great work, strangers will reap
and enjoy the harvest.”

 

CHAPTER X.

THE SPEECH AT, THE OPENING OF THE COTTON
STATES’ EXPOSITION, AND INCIDENTS
CONNECTED THEREWITH.

So much has been said and written concerning
the address which I delivered at the opening of
the Atlanta Exposition in September, 189 5, that it
may not be out of place for me to explain in some
detail how and why I received the invitation to
deliver this address.

In the spring of 1895 I received a telegram at
Tuskegee from prominent citizens in Atlanta,ask-
ing me to accompany a committee composed of
Atlanta people,-—-—all white, I think, except Bishop
Gaines and Bishop Grant,—-—to Washington to ap-
pear before the Committee on Appropriations for
the purpose of inducing Congress to make an ap-
propriation to help forward the Exposition which
the citizens of Atlanta were at that time planning
to hold. I accepted this invitation and went to
Washington with thecommittee. A number of
the white people in the delegation spoke, among
them the Mayor and other oﬁicials of Atlanta,
and then Bishop Gaines and Bishop Grant were
called upon. My name was last, I think, on
the list of speakers. I had never before appeared

125

1‘26 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK]

before such a committee,or made any address in
the capitOl of the Nation, and I had many. misgiv
ings as to what I should say and the impressiOn I
would make. While I cannot, recall my speech, I
remember that I tried to impress upon the Com-
mittee with all the earnestness and plainness of
language that I could,that if Congress wanted to
help the South do something that would rid it of
the race problem and make friends between the
two races it should in every way encourage the
material and intellectual growth of both races, and
that the Atlanta Exposition would present an op
portunity for both races to show what they had
done in the way of development since freedom,
and would at the same time prove a great encour-
agement to both races to make still greater prog-
ress: I tried to emphasize the fact that political
agitation alone would not save the Negro, that
back of politics he must have industry, thrift, in-
telligence and property; that no race without these
elements of strength could permanently succeed
and gain the respect of its fellow citizens, and that
the time had now come when Congress had an
opportunity to do something for the Negro and
the South that would prove of real and lasting
beneﬁt, and that I should be greatly disappointed
if it did not take advantage of the opportunity.
I spoke for "ﬁfteen or twenty minutes and was
very much surprised'at the close of my address

 

 

FLOAT—REPRESENTING TINNING DEPARTMENT PASSED IN PARADE ON OCCASION OF PRES. MCKINLEY’S
VISIT TO TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, DECEMBER 16, 1898.

 

 

BIRDS—EYE VIEW OF SOME OF THE FLO'ATS AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE. DECEMBER 16, 1898.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ‘ 127

to receive the hearty congratulations and thanks
of all the members of the Atlanta delegation, as
well as the members of the Committee on Appro-
priations. I will not prolong the story, except to
add that the Committee did pass the resolution
unanimously, agreeing to report a bill to Con- _
gress in the interest of the Atlanta Exposition.
Our work, however, did not end with making
these addresses before the Committee. We
remained in Washington several days. The
Atlanta committee had meetings every day and
the colored members were invited to these, and
were given a free opportunity to express their
views. Certain members of Congress were par-
celed out to each‘. member of the Atlanta com-
mittee to see, and we spent some time in convinc-
ing as many individual members of Congress as
possible of the justness of Atlanta’s claim. , We
called in a body upon Speaker Thomas B. Reed.
This was, the ﬁrst timeI had, ever had the
pleasuretof shaking hands with this great Amer-
ican; since thenI have come to know him well
and am greatly indebted to him for many kind-
nesses. After we had spent some time in Wash-
ington in hard effort in the interest of the bill, it
was called up in Congress and was passed with
very little opposition. From the moment that
the bill passed Congress the success of the
Atlanga Exposition was assured.

128 ‘ THE STORY OF MY'LIFE AND WORK,

Soon after we made this trip to Washington,
the directorsof the Atlanta Exposition decided
that it was the proper thing to give the colored
people of the country every opportunity possible
I to show, by a'separate exhibit, to what progress
they had attained since their freedom. To this
end the directors decided to erect a large and
commodious building to be known as the Negro
Building. This building in size, architectural
beauty and general ﬁnish was fully equal to the
other buildings on the grounds. It was entirely
constructed by colored labor and was ﬁlled with
the products of Negro skill, brains, and handicraft.

After it was decided to have a separate Negro
exhibit it became quite a question as to the best
manner of securing a representative and large
exhibit from the race. I, in connection with
prominent colored citizens of Georgia, was con-
sulted on a good many occasions by the directors
of the exposition. It was ﬁnally decided to
appoint a Negro commissioner to represent each
Southern State, who should have charge of col-
lecting and installing the exhibit from his state.
After these state commissioners were appointed,
a meeting of them was called in Atlanta for the
purpose of organization and forming plans to
further the Negro exhibit. At the joint meeting
of these State Commissioners, it was decided that
a Chief Commissioner to have the general super-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 129

visxon of all the exhibits should be selected. A
good many people insisted that I should accept
the position of Chief Commissioner. Ideclined
to permit my name to be used for this purpose,
because my duties at Tuskegee would not permit ,
me to give the time and thought to it that the
position demanded. Idid, however, accept the
position o'f Commissioner for the State of Ala-
bama. After a good deal of discussion, Mr. 1.
Garland Penn, of Lynchburg, Virginia, was select-
ed by the Commissioners, and this choice was
made unanimous. The success of the Negro ex-
hibit was in a very large measure due to the en-
ergy and ﬁdelity of Mr. Penn. N 0 one who voted
for him, I think, ever had reason to regret doing
so. Most of the states, especially the Southern
States, including the District of Columbia, had
' very creditable exhibits—exhibits that in many
cases surprised not only the Negro race but the
white people as well. I think the class of people
who were most surprised when they went into the
Negro Building were some of the Southern white
people who, while they had known the Negro as
a ﬁeld hand and as a servant, and had seen him
on the streets, had not been in any large degree
into his homes and school-houses. At this Expo- ,
sition, they had, I believe, the ﬁrst general oppor-
tunity to see for themselves the real progress that
the Negro was making in the most vital things

130 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

of life, and it was very interesting as well as sat-
isfactory to hear their constant exclamations of
surprise and gratiﬁcation as they walked through
the Negro Buildingf ' p

The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute
- made a special effort to prepare a large and cred-
itable exhibit, and in this the institution was most
successful. The Tuskegee exhibit consisted of
all forms of agricultural products, various articles
made in the shops, such as two-horse wagons,
one-horse wagons, single and double carriages,
harness, shoes, tinware, products from the sewing
rooms, laundry, printing ofﬁce, and academic
work, in fact all of the twenty-six industries in
operation at Tuskegee were well and creditably
represented. With the exception of the exhibit .
from the Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va.,
Tuskegee had the largest exhibit in the Negro
Building.

As the day for the opening of the Exposition
began to draw near,the Board of Directors began
to prepare their programme for the opening day.
A great many suggestions were made as to the
kind of exercises that should be' held on that day
and as to the names of the speakers to take part.
. As the discussion went on from day to day, Mr.
I. Garland Penn was bold enough to suggest to the
Commissioners that, as the Negroes weretaking
such a prominent part in trying to make the Ex-

’ BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 131

position a success, it was due them that they
should have some representation on the pro-
gramme on the opening day. This suggestion by
Mr. Penn was discussed for several days by the
Board of Directors, none, however, seeming to
have any great objection to it,——the only objec-
tion being that they feared it might bring upon
the Exposition hurtful criticism. The Board,
however, ﬁnally voted to ask some Negro to de-
liver an address at the opening of the Exposition.
Several names were suggested, but in some man-
ner, largely I think due to Mr. Penn, my name
was selected by the Board, and in due time I
received an ofﬁcial communication from the Pres-
ident of the Exposition inviting me to deliver this
address. It was the middle of August when I
received this invitation.” The Exposition was to
open on the 18th of September. The papers
throughout the country began at once discussing
the action of the Board of .Directors in inviting
a Negro to speak, most of the newspaper com-
ments, however, being favorable.

The delicacy and reSponsibility of my position ~
in this matter can be appreciated when it is
known that this was the ﬁrst time in the history of
the South that a Negro had been invited to take
part on‘a programme with white Southern peo-
ple on any important and national occasion. Our
race should not neglect to give due credit to the

132 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

courage that these Atlanta men displayed in ex-
tending this invitation; but the directors had told
the Negroes from the beginning that they would
give them fullest and freest opportunity to repre-
sent themselves in a creditable manner at every
stage of the progress of the Exposition, and from
the ﬁrst day to the last this promise was kept.
The invitation to deliver this address came at
a time when I am very busy every year prepar-
ing for the opening of the new school year at
Tuskegee, and this made it, quite difﬁcult for
me to ﬁnd time in which to concentrate my
thoughts upon the proper preparation of an im-
portant address, but the great reponsibility which
had been entrusted to me weighed very heavily
on me from day to day. I knew that what I
said would be listened to by Southern white peo-
ple, by people of my own race and by Northern
white people. I was determined from the ﬁrst
not to say anything that would give undue
offense to the South and thus prevent it from
thus honoring another Negro in the future. And
at the same timc I was equally determined to be
true to the North and to the interests of my own
race. As the 18th of September drew nearer,
the heavier my heart became and the more I felt
that my address would prove a disappointment
and a failure. I prepared myself, however, as
best I could. After preparing the address I went

BOOKER T. \VASHIN—GTON. 133

through it carefully, as I usually do with import-
ant utterances, with Mrs. Washington, and she
approved of what I intended to say. On the 16th

of September, the day before I started for Atlan-
ta, as several of the teachers had expressed a
desire to hear my address, I consented to read it
to them in a body. When I had done so and
heard their criticisms I felt more encouraged, as
most of them seemed to be very much pleased
with it. a

On the morning of September I7, 1895, to-
gether with Mrs. Washington, Portia, Baker and
Davidson, my children, I started for Atlanta.
On the way to the depot from the school, in pass-
ing through Tuskegee, I happened to meet a '
white farmer Who lived some distance in the
country, and he in a rather joking manner said to
me, “Washington, you have Spoken with success
. before Northern white audiences, and before Ne- ‘
groes in the South, but in Atlanta you will have
to speak before Northern White people, Southern
white people and Negroes altogether. I fear
they have got you into a pretty tight place.”
-This farmer diagnosed the situation most accur-
ately, but his words did not add to my comfort at
that time. On the way to Atlanta I was con-
stantly surprised by having both colored and
White people come to the cars, stare at me’ and
point me out, and discuss in my hearing What

134 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

was to take place the next day. In Atlanta we
were met by a committee of colored citizens. The
ﬁrst thing I heard when I stepped from the cars _
in Atlanta was this remark by an old colored
man near by: “That’s the man that’s gwine to
make that big speech out at the Exposition to-
morrow.” We were taken to our boarding place
by the committee and remained there until the
next morning. Atlanta was literally packed at
that time with people from all parts of the coun-
try, including many military and other organiza—
tions. .The afternoon papers contained in large
head lines a forecast of the next day’s proceed-
ings. All of this tended to add to the burden,
that was pressing heavily upon me.

On the morning of the day that the Exposi-
tion opened, a committee of colored citizens
called at my boarding place to escort me to the
point where I was to take my place in the proces-
sion which was to march to the Exposition
grounds. In this same procession was Bishop
W. J. Gaines, Rev. H. H. Proctor and other
prominent colored citizens of Atlanta. What also
added to the interest of this procession was the
appearance of several colored military organiza-
tions which marched in the same procession with
the white organizations. It was very noticeable
that in the arrangement of the line of march
the white ofﬁcers Who had control of the procession

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 135

seemed to go out of their way to see that all of
the colored people in the procession were prop-
erly placed and properly treated. The march
through the streets out to the Exposition grounds
occupied two or three hours, and, as the sun was
shining disagreeably hot, when I got to the Ex-
position I felt rather fagged out, and very much
feared that my address was going to prove a com-
plete failure. '

As Inow recall, the only colored persons who
had seats on the platform were Mr. I. Garland
Penn, the Negro Commissioner, and myself, ’
though of course there were hundreds of colored
people in the audience. When I took my place
on the platform the colored portion of the audi-
ence cheered vigorously, and there were faint
cheers from some of the white people. Ex-Gov-
ernor Bullock, of Atlanta, presided at the opening
exercises. The audience room, which was very
large and well suited for public speaking, was
packed with humanity from bottom to top, and
thousands were on the outside who could not
get in.

A white gentleman who resides in the North
and is one of my best friends, happened to be in
Atlanta on the day that the Exposition opened.
He was so nervous about the kind of receptionI
would receive at the hands of the audience and
the effect my speech would produce that he could

136 THE 'STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

not bear to go into the building, but walked
around the building 'on the outside until the exer-
cises were over.

Gilmore’s famous band played several stirring
and patriotic airs, after which Gov. Bullock arose
and delivered a short opening address and then
the speaking occurred in the following order:

Opening address, Hon. Chas. A. Collier, Pres-
ident International Cotton States Exposition
Company; address on behalf of the Woman’s
Department, Mrs. Joseph Thompson, President;
address tendering Negro exhibit, Booker T.
Washington; address on behalf of the State, His
Excellency, Governor Atkinson; address on be-
half of the city, Hon. Porter King; oration of
the day, judge Emory Speer. ‘

After his introduction, when I arose to speak,
there was considerable cheering in the audience,
especially from the section of the room occupied
by my own people. The sun was shining brightly
in my face and I had to move about a good deal
on the platform so as to reach a position that
would enable me to escape the rays of the sun.
I think the thing at the present time that I am
most conscious of is that I saw thousands of eyes
looking intently into my face. From the moment
I was introduced until the end of my address I
seemed to have entirely forgotten myself. The
following is the address whichrI delivered:

‘

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 137

“Mr. President and Gentlemen of Mel Beard (3/
Dz'reclors and C z'z‘z'zens .°

“One third of the population of the South is
of the Negro race. No enterprise seeking the
material, civil, or moral welfare of this section
can disregard this element of our population and
reach the highest success. I but convey to you,
Mr. President and Directors, the sentiment of
the masses of my race when I say that in no
way have the value and manhood of the Ameri-
can Negro been more ﬁttingly and generously
recognized than by the managers of this magniﬁ-
cent Exposition at every stage of its progress.
It is a recognition that will do more to cement
the friendship of the two races than any occur-
rence since the dawn of our freedom.

“Not only this, but the opportunity here
afforded will awaken among us a new era of
industrial progress. Ignorant and inexperienced,
it is not strange that in the ﬁrst years of our new
life we began at the top instead “ of at the
bottom; that a seat in Congress or the State
Legislature was more sought than real estate or
industrial skill; that the political convention or
stump speaking had more attractions than start-
ing a dairy farm or truck garden.

‘A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly
sighted a friendly vessel. From the mast of the

138 I THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

unfortunate vessel was seen a signal: ‘Water,
water; we die of thirst!’ The answer from the
friendly vessel at once came back: ‘Cast down
your bucket where you are.’ A second time the
signal, ‘Water, water; send us water!’ ran up
from the distressed vessel, and was answered:
‘Cast down your bucket where you are.’ And a
third and fourth signal for water was answered:
‘Cast down your bucket where you are.’ The
captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding
the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came
up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth
of the Amazon River. To those of my race who
depend on bettering their condition in a foreign
land, or who underestimate the importance of
cultivating friendly relations with the Southern
white man, who is their next door neighbor, I
would say: ‘Cast down your bucket where you
are’-——-cast it down in making friends in every
manly way of the people of all races by whom
we are surrounded.

“Cast it down in agriculture, mechanics, in
commerce, in domestic service, and in the pro-
fessions. And in this connectionit is well to
bear in mind that whatever other sins the South
may be called to bear, when it comes to busi-
ness, pure and simple, it is in the South that the
a Negro is given a man’s chance in the commer-
cial world, and in nothing is this Exposition

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ‘ 139

more eloquent than in emphasizing this chance.
Our greatest danger is, that in the great leap
from slavery to freedom we may overlook the
fact that the masses of us are to live by the pro-
ductions of our hands, and fail to keep in mind
that we shall prosper in proportion as we learn
to dignity and glorify common, labor, and put
brains and skill into the common occupations
of life; shall prosper in proportion as we learn
to draw the line between the superﬁcial and the
substantial, the ornamental gewgaws of life and
the useful. No race can prosper till it learns
that there is as much dignity in tilling a ﬁeld as
in writing a poem." It is at the bottom of life
we must begin, and not at the top. Nor should
we permit our grievances to overshadow our
opportunities. ’

“ To those of the white race who look to
the incoming of those of foreign birth and
strange tongue and habits for the prosperity of
the South, were I permitted,I would repeat what
I say to my own race, ‘ Cast down your bucket
Where you are.’ Cast it down among the 8,000,-
000 Negroes whose habits you know, whose
ﬁdelity and love you have tested in days when
to have proved treacherous meant" the ruin of
your ﬁresides. Cast down your bucket among
these people who have, without strikes and labor
wars, tilled your ﬁelds, cleared your forests,

140 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

builded your railroads and cities, and brought
forth treasures from the bowels of the earth, and
helped make possible this magniﬁcent representa-
tion of‘the progress of the South. Casting down
your bucket among my people, helping and
encouraging them as you are doing on these
grounds, and, with education of head, hand and
heart, you will ﬁnd that they will buy your
surplus land, make blossom the waste places in
your ﬁelds, and run your factories. While doing
this, you can be sure in the future, as in the past,
that you and your families will be surrounded by
the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unre-
sentful people that the world has seen. As we
have proved our loyalty to you in the past, in
nursing your children, watching by the sick bed
of your mothers and fathers, and often following
them with tear-dimmed eyes to their graves, so
in the future, in our humble way, we shall stand
by you with a devotion that no foreigner can
approach, ready to lay down our lives, if need
be, in defense of yours, interlacing our industrial,
commercial, civil, and religious life with yours
in a way that shall make the interests of both
races one. In all things that are purely social
we can be as separate as the ﬁngers, yet one
as the hand in all things essential to mutual
‘ progress.

“There is no defense or security for any of us

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 7 141

except in the highest intelligence and develop-
. ment of all. If anywhere there are efforts tend-
ing to curtail the fullest growth of the Negro,
‘ let these efforts be turned into stimulating,
encouraging, and making him the most useful
and intelligent citizen. Effort or means so
invested will pay a thousand per cent interest.
These efforts will be twice blessed—‘blessing
him that gives and him that takes.’

“There is no escape through law of man or
God from the inevitable:

‘ The laws of changeless justice bind
Oppressor with oppressed;
And close as sin and suffering joined
We march to fate abreast.’

“ Nearly sixteen millions of hands will aid you
in pulling the load upwards, or they will pull
against you the load downwards. We shall con-
stitute one-third and more of the ignorance and
crime of the South, or one-third its intelligence
and progress; we shall contribute one-third to
the business and industrial prosperity of the
South, or we shall prove a veritable body of
death, stagnating, depressing,lretarding every
effort to advance the body politic.

“Gentlemen of the Exposition, as we present
to you our humble effort at an exhibition of our
progress, you must not-expect overmuch. Start-

142 THE STDRY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ing thirty‘years ago with ownership here and
there in a few quilts and pumpkins and chickens
(gathered from miscellaneous sources), remem-
ber the path that has led from these to the inven-
tion and production of agricultural implements,
buggies, steam engines, newspapers, books, stat-
uary, carving, paintings, the management of drug
stores and banks, has not been trodden without
contact with thorns and thistles. While we take
pride in what we exhibit as a result of our inde-
pendent efforts, we do not for a moment forget
that our part in this exhibition would fall far
Short of your expectations but for the constant
help that has come to our educational life, not
only from the Southern States, but especially
from Northern philanthropists, who have made
their gifts a constant stream of blessing and
encouragement. .

“The wisest among my race understand that
the agitation of questions of social equality is the
extremest folly, and that progress in the enjoy-
ment of all the privileges that will come to us
must be the result of severe and constant
struggle rather than of artiﬁcial forcing. No
race that has anything to contribute to the
markets of the world is‘ long in any degree
ostracized. It is important and right that all
privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly
more important that we be prepared for the

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 143

exercise of those privileges. The opportunity to
earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth
inﬁnitely more than the opportunity to spend a
dollar in an opera house.

‘.‘ In conclusion, may I repeat that nothing in
thirty years has given us more hope and encour-
agement, and drawn us so near to you of the
white race, as this opportunity offered by the
Exposition; and here bending, as it were, over
the altar that represents the results of the strug-
gles of your race and mine, both starting prac-
tically empty-handed three decades ago, I pledge
that, in your effort to work out the great and
intricate problem which God has laid at the
doors of the South, you shall have at all times
the patient, sympathetic help of my race; only
let this be constantly in mind that, while from
representations in these buildings of the product
of ﬁeld, of forest, of mine, of factory, letters, and
art, much good will come, yet far ‘above and
beyond material beneﬁts will be that higher
good, that let us pray God will come, in a
~ blotting out of sectional differences and racial
animosities and suspicions, in a determination to
administer absolute justice, in a willing obedi-
ence among all classes to the mandates of law.
This, coupled with our material prosperity, will
bring into our beloved South :1 new heaven and

7?
amnew earth.

144 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Some days after my speech in Atlanta at the
opening of the Exposition I received the follow-
ing letter from Dr. Gilman, President of Johns
Hopkins University, who was chairman of the
committee of jurors in connection with the Ex-
position:

“JOHNs HOPKINS UNIVERSITY,

“BALTIMORE, Sept. 30, 1895.
“President’s Oﬂice.

“DEAR MR. WASHINGTON!—

“Would it be agreeable to you to be one of the
Judges of Award in the Department of Education
at Atlanta? If so, I shall be glad to place your
‘name upon the list.

Yours very truly,
D. C. GILMAN.

“A line by telegraph will be welcomed.”

I was more surprised to receive this invitation
to act on the board of jurors than to receive the in-
vitation to speak at the opening of the Exposition,
for it became a part of my duty as one of the jurors
not only to pass on the exhibits from Negro schools
but those from the white schools as wellathrough-
out the country. I accepted this position and
spent a month in Atlanta in connection with my
duties as one of the jurors. The board was a
large one, consisting in all of sixty members,
including such well known persons as Dr.
D. C. Gilman, of Johns Hopkins University;

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 145

Dr. I. S Hopkins, secretary of the Jury and
president of the Georgia School of Tech
nology; General Henry Abbott, United
States engineer; President C. K. Adams,
president of the University of Wisconsin;
President, Charles W. Dabney, of the Uni—
versity of Tennessee; Miss Grace Dodge,
of New York; Dr. Charles Mohr, an expert
in forestry; Mr. Gofford Pinchot, Biltmore,
N. 0; Professor Ira Remsen, editor of the
American Journal of Chemistry; Professor
Eugene A. Smith, state geologist of Ala-
bama; 'Professor C. P. Vanderford, of the
University of Tennessee, and others equally
prominent.

When the section of jurors on education met
for organization,Mr. Thomas Nelson Page, the
Southern author, who was a member of the
board, made a motion that I be made secretary
of the section on education. This motion was
carried Without a dissenting vote. Nearly half
' of the board of jurors were Southern men. We
were quite intimately associated together for a
month, and during this time our association was
most pleasant and cordial in every respect. In
performing my duty in connection with the
inspection of the exhibits from the various white
institutions, in each instance I was treated with
-the greatest respect. At the close of our labors

\

146 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

a large photograph of the group of jurors was
taken. We parted from each other with the
greatest regret.

In making up their awards the board of jurors
awarded but three gold medals to institutions of
learning. The Tuskegee school received one of
the three. As I was a member of the boardI
insisted that Tuskegee should not be permitted
to compete for a medal, but I was overruled in
this, and the medal given, regardless of my pro-
tests. The exhibit which the Tuskegee Normal
and Industrial Institute made, except that from
the Hampton Institute, was the largest and most
comprehensive in the Negro Building.

I will let the newspaper war correspondent
who was at that time in Atlanta as a representa-
tive of the New York World relate the im-
pression my speech seemed to make. He wrote
the following for the World:

“Mrs. Thompson, head of the Women’s De-
partment, had scarcely taken her seat, when all
eyes were turned on a tall, tawny Negro sitting
in the front row on the platform. It was Prof.
Booker T. Washington, president of the Tuskegee
(Ala) Normal and Industrial Institute,,who must
rank from this time forth as the foremost man of
his race in America. Gilmore’s band played the
‘Star Spangled Banner,’ and the audience cheered.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 147

The tune was changed to ‘Dixie,’ and the audi-
ence roared with shrill ki-yi’s. Again the music
changed to ‘Yankee Doodle,’ and the clamor
lessened.

“All this time the eyes of thousands looked
straight at the Negro orator. A strange thing
was to happen. A black man was to speak for
his people with none to interrupt him. As Prof.
Washington strode toward the edge of the stage,
the low, descending sun shot ﬁery rays through
the window into his face. A great shout greeted
him. He turned his head to avoid-the blinding
light, and moved about the platform for relief.
Then he turned his powerful countenance to the
sun, without a blink of the eyelids, and began to
talk. ,

“There was a remarkable ﬁgure, tall, bony,
straight as a Sioux chief, high forehead, straight
nose, heavy jaws, and strong, determined mouth,
with big white teeth, piercing eyes, and a deter-
mined manner. The sinews stood out on his
bronzed neck, and his muscular right arm swung
high in the air, with a lead pencil grasped in the
clenched brown ﬁst. His big feet were planted
squarely, with the heels together and the toes
turned out. His voice‘rang out clear and true,
and he paused impressively as he made each
point. Within ten minutes the multitude was in
an uproar of enthusiasm, handkerchiefs waved,

. 143 ' THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

canes ﬂourished, hats tossed in the air. The fair-
est women in Georgia stood up, and cheered. It
was as if the orator had bewitched them.

“And when he held his dusky hand high above
his head, with his ﬁngers stretched wide apart,
and said to the white people of the South on be-
half of his race, ‘In all things that are purely
social we can be as separate as the ﬁngers; yet
one as the hand in all things essential to social
progress,’ the great wave of sound dashed itself
against the walls, and the whole audience was on
its feet in a delirium of applause, and I thought
. at that moment of the night when Henry Grady
stood among the curling wreaths of tobacco
smoke in Delmonico’s banquet hall and said, ‘I
am a Cavalier among Roundheads.’ ,

“I have heard the great orators of many coun-
tries, but not even Gladstone himself could have
pleaded a cause with more c6nsummate power than
this angular Negro standing in a nimbus of sun-
shine, surrounded by the men who once fought to
keep his race in bondage. The roar might swell
ever so high, but the expression of his face
never changed.

“A ragged, ebony giant, squatted on the ﬂoor
in one of the aisles, watched the orator with
burning eyes and tremulous face until the supreme '
outburst of applause came, then the tears ran
down his face. Most of the Negroes in the audi-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 149

ence were crying, perhaps without knowing just
why. _

“At the close of the speech Gov. Bullock
rushed across the platform and seized the orator’s
hand. Another shout greeted this demonstration,
and for a few moments the two men stood facing
each other, hand in hand.”

The papers all over the United States the next
day after I spoke, and for months afterwards,
were ﬁlled with the most complimentary accounts
'“ of and comments upon this speech. I quote
a letter written by the Hon. Clark Howell

to the New York World, and an editorial from
the Boston Transcript, also two articles from

colored papers, as fair samples of the expressions
that were made throughout the country. The
letter of Mr. Howell was as follows:

ATLANTA, GA., September 19.

“ To tlze Editor of 2716 World:

“I do not exaggerate when I say that Prof.
Booker T. VVashington’s address yesterday was
one of the most notable speeches, both as to char-
- acter and the warmth of its reception, ever deliv-
ered to a Southern audience. It was an epoch-
making talk, and marks distinctly a turning point
in the progress of the Negro race. Its effect
in bringing about a perfect understanding between
Whites and blacks of the South will be im-

150 _ THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

mediate. The address was a revelation. It was
the ﬁrst time that a Negro orator had appeared
on a similar occasion before a Southern audience.

“The propriety of inviting a representative of
the Negro race to participate in the opening ex-
ercises was fully discussed a month ago, when the
opening program was being arranged. Some
opposition was manifested on account of the fear
that public sentiment was not prepared for such
an advanced step. The invitation, however, was
extended by a vote of the Board of Directors, and
the cordial greeting which the audience gave
Washington’s address shows that the board made
no mistake. There was not a line in the address
which would have been changed by the most
sensitive of those who thought the invitation to
be imprudent. The whole speech is a platform
on which the whites and the blacks can stand
with full justice to each race.

“The speech is a full vindication from the
mouth of a representative Negro of the doctrine
so eloquently advanced by Grady and those who
have agreed with him that it is to the South that
the Negro must turn for his best friend, and that
his welfare is so closely identiﬁed with the prog-
ress of the white people of the South that each
race is mutually dependent upon the other, and
that the so-called ‘race problem’ must be solved
in the development of the natural relations grow.

BOOKE R T. WASHINGTON. 151

ing out of the association between the whites and
blacks of the South.

“The question of social equality is eliminated
as a factor in the development of the problem,
and the situation is aptly expressed by Washing-
ton in the statement that ‘in all things that are
purely social we can be as separate as the ﬁngers,
yet one as the hand in all things essential to
mutual progress.‘

“The speech will do good, and the unanimous
approval with which it has been received demon-
strates the fact that it has already done good.

CLARK HOWELL,
Editor of the ‘Constitution.’ ”

The Boston Transcript’s editorial was as fol-
lows:

“The speech of Mr. Washington at the Atlanta
Exposition this week seems to have dwarfed all
the other proceedings and the exhibition itself.
The crowd that listened to it was carried away
with enthusiasm, and the sensation it has caused
in the press has rarely been equaled. The
Southern papers themselves pronounce it epoch-
making, and call it the beginning of the end of
the war between the races. All this is no great
surprise to those who have kept themselves in-
formed upon the development of industrial and
other education for Negroes in the Negro-popu-

152 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

lated districts of the country. Intelligent and
sympathetic observers have long been aware that
it was through the silent and serious and steady
work, of the school for the Negroes that the solu-
tion'of the race problem was coming, and not
through the passions of politics, stirred and kept
hot by tricky professional party managers for use
in presidential elections. Mr. Washington is no
different from what he has been: he is saying no
more than he and his backers have been saying
for years. But he is a great revelation to those
who have hitherto regarded the Negro question
as one simply calling for slang-whanging partisan
and sectional abuse instead of philosophy, patience
and study.”

The editor of the Texas Freeman wrote as
follows:

“The address made by Booker T. Washington,
Principal of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial
Institute, at ' the formal opening of the Cotton

States and International Exposition, stamps him
I as a most worthy representative of a large part of
the country’s citizenship. Without resort to
hyperbolic exaggeration, it is but simple justice
to call the address great. It was great. Great,
in that it exhibited thespeaker’s qualities of head
and heart; great, that he could and did discrimi-
natingly recognize conditions as they affected his
people, and greater still in the absolute modesty“,

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 153

self-respect and dignity with which he presented
a platform upon which Clark Howell, of the
Atlanta Constitution, says, ‘both races, blacks and
whites, can stand with full justice to each.’ No
better selection, among the Whole number of the
race’s most prominent men, could have been made
than. Prof. Washington.”

The Richmond Planet said:

“The speech of Prof. Booker T. Washington at
the opening of the Atlanta Exposition was a
magniﬁcent effort and places him in the forefront
of the representatives of our race in this country.
Calm, dispassionate, logical, Winning, it captivated
the vast assemblage who heard it and caused a
re-echoing sound of approval on the part of those
who caught the rounded sentences and rhetorical
periods as they were ﬂashed over the wires.

“Reserved in his manner, earnest in the.
delivery, realizing fully the heavy responsibility
resting upon him, he performed that duty with an
ease that was magnetic and grace that was
divine.” i

As soon as I had ﬁnished my address, the ﬁrst
thing that I remember is that Gov. Bullock rushed
across the stage and took me by the hand. Others
sitting on the platform did the same thing.
Following my address came a brilliant and
eloquent speech from Judge Emory Speer. At

154 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

the close of his address the President of the United
States, Hon. Grover Cleveland, touched a button
in Washington which started the machinery, and
the Exposition was declared open. By the time
the exercises in the Auditorium were ﬁnished it
Was quite late in the afternoon and, in fact, dark.
‘ A large number of people, both Northern and
Southern, together with numbers of colored
people, congratulated me most heartily on my
address; in fact, I found it quite difﬁcult to get
'out of the building or away from the Exposition
grounds. As soon as possible I left the Exposition
and went to my boarding place.

After the opening exercises a receptiOn was
tendered me by some of the colored citizens of
Atlanta. I did not in any large measure appre-
‘ciate the excitement and deep impression that my
address seemed to create until the next morning
about ten o’clock,when I went to the city on some
errand. As soon as I entered the business por-
tion of Atlanta I was surprised to ﬁnd myself
pointed out, and I was very soon surrounded by a
crowd of people who were bent on shaking my
hand and congratulating me; in fact, this was
kept up on every street where I went, until I
found it impossible to move with any degree of
comfort about the streets, and so I returned to‘my
boarding place. In a few hours I began receiving

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 155

telegrams and letters from all parts of the
country.

One thing I always thought Was rather
strange in connection with this address,and that
is that no ofﬁcer connected with the Exposition
ever asked me what ground I was going to cover
in my speech, or ever suggested that I should be
careful not to say anything which would harm the
relations between the races, and thus cripple the
success of the Exposition. It would, of course,_
have been very easy for me to have uttered a
single sentence which would have thrown a wet
blanket over the prospects of the Exposition,
and especially the harmonious relations of the
races.

The next morning I took the train for T uske-
gee. At the depot in Atlanta and at every station
between Atlanta and Tuskegee I found a crowd
of people anxious to shake hands with me, and
who were pointed out to me as making remarks

about my address.
Some days after I returned to Tuskegee, I sent

the President of the United States, Hon. Grover
Cleveland, a copy of the address I delivered at
Atlanta, and was very much surprised as well as
gratiﬁed to receive from him a letter which I here

insert 2

156 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

GRAY GABLES,
BUZZARD’S BAY, Mass., Oct. 6, I895.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Esq.

MY DEAR SIR :—I thank you for sending me a
copy of your address delivered at the Atlanta
Exposition.

I thank you with much enthusiasm for making
the address. I have read it with intense interest,
and I think the Exposition would be fully justiﬁed
if it did not do more than furnish the opportunity
for its delivery. Your words cannot 'fail to de-
light and encourage all who wish well for your
race; and if our colored fellow citizens do not
from your utterances gather new hope and form
new determinations to gain every valuable advan-
tage offered them by their citizenship, it will be
strange indeed. Yours very truly,

GROVER CLEVELAND.

All of it was written with his own band. From
that time until the present, Mr. Cleveland has
taken the deepest interest in Tuskegee and has
been among my warmest and most helpful friends.

After I returned to Tuskegee I continued to be
deluged with letters of congratulation and en-
dorsement of my position. I received all kinds of
propositions from lecture bureaus, editors of mag-
azines and papers to take the lecture platform and
write articles. One lecture bureau went as far

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ‘ 157

as to offer me $ 50,000, or $200 a night,if I would
place my services at its disposition for a given
period of time. To all these communications I '
replied that my life wOrk was at Tuskegee, and
that wherever I should speak it must be in the
interest of my race and the institution at Tus-
kegee, and that I could not accept any engage-
ments that would seem to place a mere com- '
mercial value on my addresses. From that time
until the present I have continued to receive
liberal offers from lecture bureaus for my serv-
ices. Only a few weeks ago the following letter
came to me, but I have continued to refuse, as I
expect to do in the future, to become a profes-
sional lecturer at any price:

CENTRAL LYCEUM BUREAU,
CHICAGO, 111., November 29, 1897.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Tuskegee, Ala.

MY DEAR SIR :——-“If you will give us exclusive
control of your lecture business for next summer
and winter, season of 1898-99,I am conﬁdentI
can make you more money than you have made
this season on the platform. Would you consider
an offer of say ten thousand dollars and all expenses
~ for one hundred nights. Please let me hear from
you and oblige, Yours very truly,

FRED PELHAM.”

Soon after receiving the letter quoted above, I

158 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

received a proposition from a lecture bureau in
Boston offering me at the rate of $200 per night
for my lectures for as long a time as I would give
them my services at this rate, but I declined. 7
Although I refused to become a professional lec-
turer for personal gain,I did not keep silent,
but continued to work and speak in behalf of
Tuskegee.

In the fall of 1895 I continued addressing large
audiences in the states of Massachusetts, New
York, Pennsylvania and in the Western states.
During my trip to the West I addressed the
Hamilton Club and was its guest while in the
city of Chicago. The Hamilton Club is one of
the largest and most inﬂuential political organiza-
tions of Republican faith in the West. While in
Chicago for the purpose of, addressing this club,
I was invited by Dr. Harper, the president of
the University of Chicago, to deliver an address
before the students of the University, which I
did, and was treated with great consideration
and kindness by all of the ofﬁcers of the Uni-
versity.

 

PRINTING PRESSROOM. THEY DO THEIR OWN PRINTING AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

 

PAINT SHOP. STUDENTS AT WORK. TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

CHAPTER XI.

AN APPEAL FOR JUSTICE.

While the Atlanta Exposition was in progress,
the State Constitutional Convention of South

Carolina was in session, having been convened
for the speciﬁc purpose of passing a law that

would result in disfranchising the greater pro-
portion of the Negro voters. While this Con-
vention was in session,I addressed an open letter
to Senator Benj. Tillman of South Carolina,
which read as follows: .

“I am no politician. I never made a political
speech, and do not know as I ever shall make
one, so it is- not on a political subject that I
address you. I was born a slave; you a free
man. I am but an humble member of , an
unfortunate race; you are a member of the
greatest legislative body on earth, and of the
great intelligent Caucasian race. The differ~
ence between us is great, yet I do not believe
you will scorn the appeal I make to you in
behalf of the 650,000 of my race in your State,
who are to-day suppliants at your feet, and
whose destiny and progress for the next century
*you hold largely in your , hands. I have been

told that you are brave and generous, and one
11 159

e.

160 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

too great to harm the weak and dependent;
that you represent the chivalry of the South,
' which has claimed no higher praise than that
of being the protectors of the defenseless. I
address you because I believe that you and
those associated with you in convention, have
been misunderstood in the following dispatch to
a number of papers:

“ ‘ An appalling fact that may not be obvious
at a ﬁrst glance, is that the ‘course proposed
means the end of Negro education and Negro
progress in South Carolina. This is openly
admitted by Senator Tillman and his friends.’

“It has been said that the truest test of the
civilization of a race is the desire of the race
to assist the unfortunate. Judged by this stand-
ard, the Southern States as a whole have reason
to feel proud of what they have done in helping
in the education of the Negro.

“I cannot believe that on the eve of the tWen-
tieth century, when there is more enlightenment,
more generosity, more progress, more self-
sacriﬁce, more love for humanity than ever
existed in any other stage of the world’s history,
when our memories are pregnant with the scenes
. that took place at Chattanooga and Missionary
Ridge but a few days ago, where brave men
who wore the blue and gray clasped forgiving
hands and pledged that hencefOrth the interests

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 161

of one should be the interests of all—while the
hearts of the whole South are centered upon the
great city of Atlanta, Where Southern people are
demonstrating to the world in a. practical way
that it is the policy of the South to help and not
to hinder the Negro—in the midst of all these
evidences of good feeling among all races and all
sections of the country, I cannot believe that you
and your fellow members are engaged in con-
structing laws that Will keep 650,000 of my weak,
dependent and unfortunate race in ignorance,
poverty and crime.

“You, honored Senator, are a student of his-
tory. Has there ever been a race that was helped ‘
by ignorance? Has there ever been a race that
was harmed by Christian intelligence? It is
agreed by some that the Negro schools should be
practically closed because he cannot bear his pro-
portion of this burden of taxation. Can an
ignorant man produce taxable property faster
than an intelligent man? Will capital and immi-
gration be attracted to a State Where three out of
four are ignorant and where poverty and crime ’
abound?

“Within a dozen years, the white people of
South Carolina have helped in the education of
hundreds of colored boys and girls at Claﬂlin
University and smaller schools. Have these
educated men and women hindered the State or

162 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

hurt its reputation? It warms my heart as I read
the messages of the Governors of Alabama,
Georgia and other Southern States, and note their
broad and statesman-like appeals for the educa-
tion of all the people, none being so black or
miserable as not to be reached by the beneﬁcent
hand of the State.

“Honored Sir, do not misunderstand me; I am
not so selﬁsh as to make this appeal to you in the
interest of my race alone, for, thank God, a white
man is as near to my heart as a black man; but I
appeal to you in the interest of humanity. ‘What-
soever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’ It
is my belief that were it the purpose of your con-
'vention, as reported, to practically close Negro
school-houses by limiting the support of these
schools to the paltry tax that the Negro is able to
pay out of his ignorance and poverty after but
thirty years of freedom, his school-houses would
not close. Let the world know it, and there
would be such an inﬂowing of money from the
pockets ofthe charitable from all sections of our
country and other countries, as would keep the
light of the school~houses burning on every hill
and in every valley in South Carolina. Ibelieve,
Senator Tillman, that you are too great and
magnanimous to permit this. I believe the peo-
ple of South Carolina prefer to have a large part
in the education of their own citizens; prefer to

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 163,

have them educated to feel grateful to~ South
Carolina for the larger part of their education
rather than to outside parties wholly. This ques-
tion I leave with you. The black yeomanry of
your State will be educated. Shall South Carolina
do it, or shall it be left to others? Herein my
humble home, in the heart of the South, I beg to
say that I know something of the great burden
the Southern people are carrying,and sympathize
with them; and I feel that I know the Southern
people, and am convinced that the best white
people in South Carolina and the South are deter-
mined to help lift up the Negro.

“In addressing you this simple message, I am
actuated by no motive save a desire that your
State, in attempting to escape a burden, shall not
add one that will be ten fold more grievous, and
that we all shall so act in the spirit of Him who
when on earth went about doing good, that we
shall have in every part of our beloved South, at
contented, intelligent and prosperous people.”

Soon after the Exposition, in reply to a request
from the editor, I addressed the-following letter
to the Atlanta Journal on the beneﬁts of the

Exposition:

' “Without doubt the Atlanta Exposition has
helped the cause of the Negro. Before the event
there was much honest difference of opinion
among members of the race as to the advisability

/
I

1"
g

164 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND \VORK,

of our taking any part whatever. Many of the
objectors earnestly advocated by word of mouth
and through the press the policy of ‘hands oﬂ;’
others as much opposed participation, yet kept
silent, and, so far as public expression was con-
cerned, maintained a neutral position. From the
one class no help was received by those trying‘to
collect an exhibit; from the other, direct opposi-
tion was encountered. By reason of these dis-5
advantages, the Negro exhibit, while highly
creditable under the circumstances, was not by
any means what it would have been had there
been unanimity of purpose and concentrated
action. There is, however, little difference of
opinion, either within the race or outside of it, as
to the good resulting from the Negro’s part in
the Exposition. Many, who for various reasons
did not sanction a Negro exhibit, are inclined
now to favor our embracing, as they are offered,
these opportunities for showing of what we are
capable along the various lines of activity. Others,
still holding to what they consider the logic of
their position, yet concede and rejoice in the good
accomplished .

“In the ﬁrst instance, this Exposition has given
the colored people an insight into their ability to
accomplish something by united effort. There
are two. points to consider in this statement; that
the colored people have been helped to a fuller

.BOOK’ER T. WASHINGTON. - 165

knowledge of their capabilities, 'and that they
have been taught a practical lesson in the value
oi co-operation. Neither of these points can be
too much emphasized. Without self-conﬁdence,
self-respect, a certain amount ofself-assurance of
the proper kind, nothing can be achieved, either
by an individual or by a race. ~ We must believe
in ourselves, if we would have people believe in
us. If we wonder, ‘Can any good thing come
out of Nazareth?’ what must we expect of others?

“Of but little less importance is the expressive
example afforded of the power of co-operation.
Mutual distrust,'disinclination to unite forces, and
inability to carry on concentrated action, belong
to the darkgdays and are the badges of inferiority.
We shall rise largely in proportion as we learn to
join hands and to further mutual interests by‘
joint action. The very effort to do something, to
make something, in connection with the Exposié
tion, regardless of intrinsic value of the thing
produced or achieved, has been helpful and de-
veloping in its tendencies. We learn by doing
and ‘rise on stepping stones of our dead selves to
higher things.’

“The Exposition has also given thousands of
white people, North and South, opportunities to
see some of the best results of the Negro’s ad-
vancement. It is a fact that always has been
recognized and deplored by the better element of

166 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

the colored people, that most white people see and
know only the worse phase of Negro character.
They live side by side with the brother in black
and yet have no acquaintance with him beyond
the slight knowledge gained of those serving them
in menial capacities. So, perhaps, the entire race
is judged by a few individuals who have had little

; or no opportunities for advancement along any of

W” ”1». __W__~ﬁ,.~-..~

the lines that make for a higher civilization. The
homes of culture, the work of the school, the
progress in the industries, in the arts, in all things
that tend to prove the Negro a man among men,

. have been as a sealed book to the vast majority

of the white people in all sections of our country,
and the adverse judgments that have been formed
as to the Negro’s worth and ability may be at-
tributed more to an unfortunate ignorance and
blindness on the subject than to any intention or
desire to be unjust. Of no class of people, prob-
ably, is this truer than of the class commonly
known as the ‘poor whites’ of the South. It was
both interesting and amusing to view their Sur—
prise as they entered the Negro building at At-
lanta, and to listen to the exclamations of
astonishment which eScaped them as they walked
around and observed the exhibits. ‘What, this
the work of niggers!’ Race prejudice received a
heavy blow at Atlanta. The white man left with
increased respect for the Negro, and he will show

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 167

it in his future dealings with the members of the
race. The Negro in turn, appreciative of the
recognition accorded him, will entertain more
cordial feelings toward those showing him such
consideration. The Exposition brought the N e-
gro prominently before the country. The atten-
tion of the press was drawn to him. Leading
scientists and educators sat in judgment on the
" products of his brain and skill, ranged side by
side with those of his White competitors for hon-
ors. His position as a part of the body politic was

emphasized as never before. The impression his,

exhibit made was not such as to render him, in
the eyes of the country, less desirable as a citizen
than he had seemed before. On the contrary, his
capabilities in various directions have been strik-
ingly exempliﬁed, and it has been demonstrated
that he can measure up to the full stature of a
man. 7 .

“As might have been anticipated, the showing
made by the school was most creditable. The
friends and advancers of Negro education must
have felt that their bounty has not been misplaced.
Especially must the great heart of the generous
North have glowed with gratiﬁcation. It is an
interesting fact that out of the four highest
awards, that of the gold medal made to educa-
tional institutions, two went to colored schools--—
Hampton and Tuskegee.

/

168 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

“1n speaking of the helpful prominence which
the Exposition gave to the N egro’s cause, we
must not omit the inﬂuence of the Negro con~
.gresses. The very presence in Atlanta of so
many well-dressed, well-behaved, intelligent men
and women of African descent, speaks loudly in
our behalf. Besides, many Wise words Were
uttered in the several addresses delivered and in
the discussions which followed, and in all modesty,
We think that we may claim that these black men
and women made less perplexing some of the per-
plexing questions which confront us as a nation.

“Not less important among the happy results
of the exposition is that the Southern White people
and the Negro have learned that they can unite
successfully in business enterprises. They have
been shown that because men differ on some
points and are not as one in all the affairs of life,
they need not stand entirely aloof from one an-
other. They may meet upon the level ground of
a common interest and work together towards
the accomplishment of a mutual aim Without loss
of dignity or self-respect to either.

“The exposition has encouraged the Negroes to
become, more than ever before, producers. They
have been helped to realize, as they may not have
realized before, that no kind of toil is to be de-
spised; that in every branch of industry the
highest degree of proﬁciency should be sought,

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. 169

that every product of labor is valuable in propor.
tion as it approaches the perfect ideal which

should animate the mind of every worker. Agri»

culture, the trades, education, the arts, have all
received an impetus which will be seen in the
more rapid advancement of the future. Above
all, we are encouraged now by the certainty that
recognition will come as it deserved. It is not
too much to say that the recognition which the
N egro received at Atlanta was the natural result
of the development he has made during these
thirty years of effort. Further opportunities will
present themselves. Already other expositions
are projected whose plans include a prominent
part to be taken by the Negro.

“ ‘All things come to him who waits,’ but the
Negro must understand that he must work and
wait; not idly rest upon his oars. We must not
only be prepared to make a good showing when
the opportunity comes for us to let the world see
what in us lies, but each opportunity must ﬁnd us

better prepared. With the New South the New *

Negro must arise and modestly, manfully, cour-
ageously, take his place in the march of progress.
The old order of things has truly passed away,
and side by side, white men and black men must
determine to work out their deStiny to a success-
ful issue.” ‘

During the. F all and Winter of 1895-96 I ad-

wﬂ‘ I.

170 C THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

dressed several audiences in various parts of the
country, notably New York, Massachusetts and
Pennsylvania. At the meeting in New York,
which was held in Broadway Tabernacle, Hon.
Joseph H. Choate presided. I also addressed ,
during the Winter of 1896 the Hamilton Club of
Brooklyn, New York. The most important
meeting which I attended, however, after the
Atlanta Exposition, was a large meeting held in
Carnegie Hall, New York, in the interest of the
Presbyterian Mission. This meeting was held
under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church.
The meeting was of national importance in its
character, and the entire Presbyterian Church
throughout the country was interestedwin it. The
,President of the United States, Hon. Grover
Cleveland, was the presiding ofﬁcer. The speak-
ers included, besides the President, Rev. T.
DeWitt Talmage, D. D.; Rev. Sheldon Jackson,
D. D., and myself. The hall was packed from
bottom to top with the best and most inﬂuential
people in New York and vicinity, and much good
seems to have resulted from the meeting. The
following are some of the extracts from my speech
delivered on that occasion:
. “My word to you tonight will be based upon
an humble effort during the last fourteen years to
better the condition of my people in the ‘black
belt’ of the South.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 17]

“What are some of the conditions in the South
that need your urgent help and attention?”
Eighty-ﬁve per cent. of my people in the Gulf
States are on the plantations in the country dis-
tricts, where a large majority are still in
ignorance, without habits of thrift and economy;
are in debt, mortgaging their crops to secure
food; paying, or attempting to pay, a rate of
interest that ranges between twenty and forty
per cent. ; living in one-room cabins on rented
land, where schools are in session in these country
districts from three to four months in’the year,
taught in places, as a rule, that have little re-
semblance to school houses.

“Each colored child in these States has spent
on him this year, for education, about 70 cents,
while each child in Massachusetts has spent on
him this year, for education, between $18 and
$20. ‘

“What state of morality or practical Christian~
ity you may expect when as many as six, eight,
and even ten, cook, eat and sleep, get sick and
die in one room, I need not explain. But what is
the remedy for this condition? It is not practical
nor desirable that the North attempt to educate,
directly, all the colored people in the South, but
the North can and should help the South educate
strong Christian leaders who will go among
our people and show them how to lift themselves

172 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

up. That is the great problem before us. Can '
this be done? If in the providence of God the
Negro got any good out of slavery, he got the
habit of work. Whether the call for labor comes
from the cotton ﬁelds of Mississippi, the rice
swamps of the Carolinas, or the sugar bottoms of
Louisiana, the Negro answers the call. Yes, toil
is the badge of all his tribe, but the trouble centers
here: By reason of his ignorance and want of
training he does not know how to utilize the re-
sults of his labor. My people do not need charity,
neither do they ask that charity be scattered
among them. Very seldom in any part of this
country do you see a black hand reached out for
charity; but they do ask that through Lincoln '
and Biddle and Scotia and Hampton and Tuske-
gee, you send them leaders to guide and stimulate
them till they are able'to walk.”

I also gave it as my opinion that the American
Church has never yet comprehended its duty to
the millions of poor Whites in the South. I said:
“When you help the poor whites, you help the
Negro. Soilong as the poor Whites are ignorant,
' so long there will be crime against the Negro
and civilization.” A
' During - the same year I delivered addresses
in several Western cities, including Chicago,
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Milwaukee.

Immediately after my address in Carnegie

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. . 173

Hall, on the evening of March 3, I took the
train in order to be present at the meeting 'of the
Negro Conference which occurred on March 5,. ’
and arrived in Tuskegee just in time to take part
in the discussion of this meeting.

Soon after my address at the'opening of the
- Atlanta Exposition there began to appear adverse
criticisms in some of the colored papers regarding
the position I had taken in my address. Some of
these colored papers felt that I had been entirely
too liberal towards the South. I gave no special
attention to these criticisms, but in March, 1896,
I accepted an invitation to speak before the Bethel
Literary Association in Washington. This, I
think, is by far the most cultured literary organ-
ization in ex1stence among our people, and
hWashington city had been th5 center of a good
part of the criticisms on my Atlanta speech, so I
felt that that city would be a good place in which
to make my position more clearly understood and
to emphasize my views. On the evening that I
spoke in Washington, the meeting was held in the
-Auditorium of the Metropolitan Church, and I
hardly need say that the building was full to such
an extent that many were unable to ﬁnd seats. In
my address before the Literary Association I took
very much the same position I had taken in my
address at Atlanta, but of course went more into

174 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

detail. After my speech, those. who heard me
seemed to be entirely satisﬁed with my position,
and the newspapers which had been criticising
me, in a large measure, ceased to do so.

 

MR. WASHINGTON MAKING A SPEECH AT THE CHICAGO PEACE JUBILEE. OCT. 16. 1898. IN THE
AUDITORIUM.—See page 224.

 

 

 

. 1896

. WASHINGTON. AT HARVARD

UNIVERSITY. JUNE 24

PRESIDENT ELIOT CONFERRING HONORARY DEGREE
UPON MR

CHAPTER XII.
HONORED BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

One of the most helpful things accomplished
during the year 1896 was an exhibit of the
industrial products of the Tuskegee Institute made
in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, in
connection with a similar exhibit from the
Hampton Institute. The Armstrong Associa-
tion in New York City was instrumental in
bringing about this exhibit. A large number Of ‘
people who had no idea of the extent of our
industrial work had an opportunity at these
exhibits to see for themselves just what was
being done by Hampton and Tuskegee. Our
industrial exhibit included wagons, carriages and
wearing apparel of all kinds, manufactured by
the students. The exhibit, however, was not
conﬁned to industrial products; a thorough ex-
hibit of academic work was also made.

Some people have an idea that because indus-
trial education is emphasized at Tuskegee and
Hampton, very little attention is given to
academic training. This is an error. A close
{examinatiOn will prove that both at Hampton and
Tuskegee the academic training is very thorough

and far-reaching; in fact, if we had only called
- \ 175 *
l2 _.

176 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

this institution “University” or “College” and
had given the same course of training that we
now give, we would have met with no criticism
on account of not giving more'academic training.
We are thoroughly imbued with the idea that a
little training thoroughly given goes farther than
to attempt to cover a great deal of ground poorly.
Education after all is only valuable in giving
mental grasp and culture.

Six months before he died, and nearly a year
after he had been stricken with paralysis, General
Armstrong visited Tuskegee. On his arrival,
which was about nine o’clock in the evening, he
was given a unique reception by the students.
According to a pre-arranged plan, the moment that
his carriage entered the school grounds, he began
passing between two lines of lighted and waving
“fat pine” wood knots held by over a thousand
students and teachers. The General was com-
pletely overcome with happiness. He remained
a guest in my home for nearly two months, and,
although almost wholly without the use of voice or
limb, he spent nearly every hour 1n devising ways
to help the South Time and time again he said
to me, during this visit, that it was not only the
duty of the country to assist in elevating the
Negro of the South, but the poor white man as
well. I resolved anew to devote myself more
earnestly tothe cause which was so dear to him.

 

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 177

Several times I have been asked What was the
most surprising incident in my life. I have no
hesitation in saying that it was the following let-
ter from Harvard University, asking me to be
present at the commencement at Harvard in
June, 1896, for the purpose of having an honorary
degree conferred upon me.

“HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
‘f CAMBRIDGE, May 28, 1896.

“ MY DEAR SIR: Harvard University desires to confer on
you at the approaching commencement an honorary degree; but
it is our custom to confer degrees only on gentlemen who are
present. Our commencement occurs this year on June 24th,
and your presence would be desirable from about noon till about
ﬁve o’clock in the afternoon. Would it be possible for you to be
in Cambridge on that day?

“ Believe me, with great regard,

‘ “ Very truly yours,

“CHARLES W. ELIOT.
“PRESIDENT BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.”

Up to the time of receiving this letter I had
not the faintest idea that any college, much less
the oldest and highest educational institution in
the country, was about to or would ever confer
upon me any honorary degree. It took me, of
course, greatly by surprise.

Commencement day at Harvard, June 24,
1896, was a memorable one, certainly one that I
shall never forget. At the appointed hour I met
President Eliot and the overseers of the College
at the designated place on the grounds, for the

178‘ THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

purpose of being escorted in company with others
. to Sanders Theatre, where the commencement
exercises were to take place and the degrees to
be conferred. In addition to the degree to be
conferred on me, among others Major-Gen. N el-
son A. Miles, the Commander of the United
States Army, Dr. Bell, the inventor of the Bell
telephone system, Dr. M. J. Savage of Boston,
and others, were invited to be present at com-
mencement for the purpose of receiving degrees.
We were assigned places in the line of march
immediately behind the President and Overseers.
As soon as we were placed in the line, the Gover-
nor of Massachusetts, escorted by the Lancers,
arrived, and was assigned to the head of the line
of march by the side of President Eliot. In this
order, accompanied by the various officers clad ‘
in caps and gowns, we marched to Sanders
Theatre. After the usual commencement exer-
cises, the time for the conferring of honorary de-
grees came. This at Harvard is always the most
interesting and exciting feature of commencement,
owing largely to the fact that no one knows until
commencement day on whom honorary degrees
are to be conferred, and as each name is Called for
an honorary degree, the expectation rises to the
highest pitch, and the individuals receive cheers
and applause in proportion as they are popular at
the college. When it came my turn I arose, and

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. m

President Eliot conferred upon me the degree of
Master of Arts, in appropriate language. The
whole ceremony for the ﬁrst time at Harvard was
performed in English.

At the close of the commencement exercises I
was invited with Gen. Miles and others receiving
honorary degrees to lunch with President Eliot.
After the lunch at the residence of the President
we were formed into line again and were escorted
under the guidance of the Marshal of the Day,
who in this case happened to be Bishop Lawrence
of Massachusetts, through the grounds, in which
at different points we were met and cheered by
the students, each individual who had received
an honorary degree receiving the Harvard yell.
The most interesting feature of that day was the
Alumni Dinner, which occurred at the close of
our march through the grounds. This dinner
was served in Memorial Hall, and,Ithink,was
attended by at least a thousand graduates of
Harvard from all sections of the country, many of
them eminent in affairs of state, religion and the
ﬁeld of letters. Among. the speakers at the
Alumni Dinner were Governor Roger A. Wol-
cott, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, Dr. Savage and others. When Iwas
called upon to speak at the Alumni Dinner I
delivered the following address:

180 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

“Afr. Presz'dem‘ and Gentlemen:—

“It would in. some measure relieve my embar-
rassment if I could, even in a slight degree, feel
myself worthy of the great honor Which you do
me to-day. Why you have called me from the
Black Belt of the South, from among my humble
people, to share in the honors of this occasion, is
not for me to explain; and yet it may not be
inappropriate for me to suggest that it seems to
me that one of the most vital questions that touch
our American life, is how to bring the strong,
riwealthy and learned into helpful touch with the
poorest, most ignorant and humblest, and at the
same time make the one appreciate the vitalizing,
strengthening inﬂuence of the other. How shall
we make the mansions on yon Beacon street feel
and see the need of the spirits in the lowliest cabin
in Alabama cotton ﬁelds or Louisiana sugar bot-_
toms? This problem Harvard University is
solving, not by bringing itself down, but by bring-
' ing the masses up. _

“If through me, an humble representative,
' seven millions of my people in the South might
be permitted to send a message to Harvard——
Harvard that offered up on death’s altar young
Shaw, and Russell, and Lowell, and scores of
others, that we might have a free and united
country——that message would be, ‘Tell them that
the sacriﬁce was not in vain. Tell them that by

~/

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.) 181.

habits of thrift and economy, by way of the indus-
trial school and college, we are coming. We are
crawling up, working up, yea, bursting up. Often
through oppression, unjust discrimination and
prejudice, but through them all we are coming.
up, and with proper habits, intelligence and
property, there is no power on earth that can
permanently stay our progress.’

“If my life in the past has meant anything in
the lifting up of my people and the bringing about
of better relations between your race and mine, I
assure you from this day it will mean doubly
more. In the economy of God there is but one
standard by which an individual can succeed——
there is but one for a race. This country de-
mands that every race shall measure itself by the
American standard. By it a race must rise or
fall, succeed or fail, and in the last analysis mere
sentiment counts for little. During the next half
century and more, my race must continue passing
through the severe American crucible. We are
to be tested in our patience, our forbearance, our
perseverence, our power to endure wrong, to
withstand temptations, to economize, to acquire
and use skill ; in our ability to compete, to succeed
in commerce, to disregard the superﬁcial for the
real, the appearance for the substance, to be great
and yet small, learned and yet simpl e, high and
yet the servant of all. This, this 13 the passport

182 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

to all that is best in the life of our republic, and
the Negro must possess it, or be debarred.

“While we are thus being tested, I beg of you
to remember that Wherever our life touches
yours, we help or hinder. Wherever your life
touches ours, you make us stronger or weaker.
No member of your race in any part of our
country can harm the meanest member of mine
without the proudest and bluest blood in Massa-
chusetts being degraded. W'hen Mississippi
commits crime, New England commits crime,
and in so much, lowers the standard of your civil-
izatiOn. There is no escape—~man drags man
down, or man lifts man up.

“In working out our destiny, While the main
burden and center of activity must be with us,
we shall need, in a large measure in the years
that are to come as we have in the past, the
help, the encouragement, the guidance that the
strong can give the weak. Thus helped, we of
both races in the South, soon shall throw off the
shackles of racial and sectional prejudice and
rise, as Harvard University has risen and as we
all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance,
narrowness and selﬁshness, into that atmosphere,
that pure sunshine, where it will be our highest
ambition to serve man, our brother, regardless
of race or previous condition.”

As this was the ﬁrst time that an honorary

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. , 183

degree had ever been conferred upon a Negro by
any university in New England, of course it occa-
sioned a great deal of newspaper comment
throughout the country. Ithink I shall not speak
further of the occurrence, but will insert a few
newspaper clippings that will tell the story per.
haps better than I feel like doing it. ‘

Mr. Thos. J. Calloway, who was present on
this occasion, wrote as follows to the Colored
American:

“First in the history of America, a leading
American university confers an honorary degree
upon a colored man. Harvard has been always
to the front in ideas of liberty, freedom and
equality. When other colleges of the North
are accepting the Negro as a tolerance,
Harvard has been awarding him honors, as in the
case of Clement G. Morgan,of recent date. Her
present action, therefore, in placing an honorary
crown upon the worthy head of Mr. Washington
is but a step further in her magnanimity in recog- .
nizing merit under whatever color of skin.

“The mere announcement of this event is a
great testimony to the standing of Mr. Washing-
ton, but to any black person who, as I did, saw
and heard the enthusiasm and applause with
which the audience cheered the announcement by
President Eliot, the degree itself was insigniﬁcant.
The Boston Lancers had conducted Gov. Wol-

184 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

cott to Cambridge, and ﬁve hundred Harvard
graduates had double ﬁled the march to Sanders
. Theatre. It was a great day. Latin orations,
disquisitions, dissertations and essays in English
were delivered by selected graduates, clad in state-
ly and classic cap and gown. Bishops, generals,
icommodores, statesmen, authors, poets, explorers,
millionaires and noted men of every calling, sat as
earnest listeners. President Eliot had issued ﬁve
hundred diplomas by handing them to representa-
tives of the graduates in bundles of twenty to
twenty-five. Then came the awarding of honor-
ary degrees. Thirteen were issued, Bishop Vin-
cent and General Nelson A. Miles, commander of
the United States Army, being among the recip-
ients. When the name of Booker T. Washington
was called, and he arose to acknowledge and
accept, there was such an outburst of applause as
greeted no other name except that of the popular
soldier patriot, General Miles. The applause was
not studied and stiff, sympathetic and condoling;
it was enthusiasm and admiration. Every part of
the audience from pit to gallery joined in, and a
glow covered the cheeks of those around me,
proving their sincere appreciation of the rising
struggle of an ex-slave and the work he has accom-
plished for his race.

“But the event of the day was the Alumni Din-
ner, when speeches formed the most enjoyable

BOOKER 1*. WASHINGTON. ‘ 185

bill of fare. Two hundred Harvard alumni and
their invited guests partook of this annual dinner.
Four or ﬁve speeches were made, among them
one from Mr. Washington.

“At the close of the speaking, notwithstanding
the fact that Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Dr.
Minot J. Savage and others had spoken, President
Eliot warmly grasped Mr. Washington by the
hand and told him that his was the best speech of

the day.”
' Speaking of the conferring of the degree and
the toast, the papers were unusual in favorable
comment. Says the Boston Post:

“In conferring the honorary degree of Master
of Arts upon the principal of Tuskegee Institute,
Harvard University has honored itself as well as
the object of this distinction. The work which
Prof. Booker T. Washington has accomplished
for education, good citizenship and popular en-
lightenment in his chosen ﬁeld of labor in the
South, entitles him to rank with our national bene-
factors. The university Which can claim him on
its list of sons, whether in regular course'or 12072-
07229 mum, may be‘proud.

“It has been mentioned that Mr. Washington is
the first of his race to receive an honorary degree
from a New England University. This, in itself,
is a distinction. But the degree was not conferred
because Mr. Washington is'a colored man, or be-

186 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

p cause he was born in slavery, but because he has
shown, by his work for the elevation of the people
of the Black Belt of the South, a genius and a
broad humanitywhichcount for greatness in any
man,’whether his skin be white or black.”

The Boston Globe said: “ It is Harvard
which, ﬁrst among New England colleges, con-
fers an honorary degree upon a black man. N 0
one who has followed the history of Tuskegee and
its work, can fail to admire the courage, per-
sistence and splendid common sense of Booker T.
Washington. Well may Harvard honor the ex-
slave, the value of whose services, alike to his
race and country, only the future can estimate.”

The correspondent of the New York Times
wrote: “All the speeches were enthusiastically
received, but the colored man carried off the
oratorical honors, and the applause which broke
'out when he had ﬁnished, was vociferous and
long continued.”

In July of the 'same year I delivered one of the
addresses before the National Christian Endeavor
Convention which met in Washington. This
meeting of the Christian Endeavor Society was
attended by thousands of people from all sections
of the country and some from foreign countries.
I remember that in order to be present in time to
speak at this meeting, I had to make a long and
tiresome trip from Spirit Lake, Iowa, to Wash-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 187

ington, and reached Washington rather late in
the evening. In fact, when I got to the church
where I was to speak, I found President F. E.
Clark and the audience rather nervous about my
appearance. I found it a difﬁcult matter to get
into the room, owing to the fact that every seat
was taken, the aisles full and A people on
the outside of the church clamoring for en-
trance. My address was ﬁnished about IO
b’clock that evening. At II o’clock I took a
train for Buffalo, New York, Where I was to
speak the next night before the National Educa-
tional Association, where 20,000 teachers were
present. As I now recall the incident, I think
these two meetings caused me perhaps as great
mental strain and anxiety as I have ever ex-
perienced. Ihad to prepare special and set ad-
dresses for each meeting, and coming, as they
did, so near together, any one who has had ex-
perience in public speaking can easily imagine
the difﬁculty with which I had to contend. I
will give one or two short newspaper extracts
that may convey an idea of the effect of these two
addresses.

The Buffalo Express gave expression in part as
follows: .

“It was a great close. It began with music
and it ended With music. Not a false note was
struck. Every tone rang true, and When the

188 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

gavel rose for the ﬁnal fall, the audience rose with
it, and with one mighty voice sang ‘America.’
All credit is due to Booker T. Washington for
the keying up of the spirit that dominated the
vast audience. His address was magniﬁcent.
There was nothing of speculation, nothing of
theory, nothing of supposition in his speech. It
was a truthful, convincing statement of the con-
, dition of the Negro and the remedy for his
wrongs. It teemed with humor and was arrayed
in a splendid cloak of eloquence. The audience
was larger than at any of the other sessions. An
overﬂow meeting was held in Concert Hall, at
which the addressesof the closing session were re-
peated. The overﬂow meeting overﬂowed, and
over 2,000 people were turned away. A thousand
lingered outside until the convention ended.”

On July 12th the Buffalo Courier contained
the following:

“ BOoker T. Washington, the foremost educa-
tor among the colored people of the world, was a
very busy man from the time he arrived in the
city the other night from the West, and registered
at the Iroquois. He had hardly removed the
stains of travel when it was time to partake of
supper. Then he held a public levee in the parlors
of the Iroquois until eight o’clock. During that
time he was greeted by over two hundred emi-
. nent teachers and educators from all parts of the

BOOKER -T. WASHINGTON. 189

United States. Shortly after 8 o’clock, he was
driven in a carriage to Music Hall, and in one
hour and a half he made two ringing addresses,
to as many as 5,000 people, on Negro education.
Then Mr. Washington was taken in charge by a-
delegation of colored citizens, headed by the Rev. .
Mr. Watkins, and hustled off to a small, informal
reception, arranged in honor of the visitor, by the
people of his race.”

Both in Washington at the Christian Endeavor
meeting and in Buffalo at the National Educa-
tional Association meeting I was surprised as well
as gratiﬁed at the large number of Southern
gentlemen and ladies belonging to the white race
who pressed forward to shake my hand
at the close of these addresses. I have rarely
spoken anywhere in the North that a number of
Southern white people did not come forward and
most earnestly thank me for my position and
words.

A Southern man writing to the Charleston
News and Courier concerning my address at
Buffalo expressed himself as follows:

“Notwithstanding the fact that the gentlemen
speaking were of great ability, the audience
showed signs of impatience; they wanted Mr.
Washington, and no one else would do. At last
he came. He is quiet looking, a little nervous,
but determined. His face indicates that he has

190 A THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

above all qualities, patience and self-control. His
address to the second audience was very much
the same as that delivered before the ﬁrst. He
was a little freer; told several amusing stories,
and from the start carried the crowd as no one
else has done during this meeting.”

It has been my privilege to be invited to
address the national gathering of both the Chris-
tian Endeavor Society and the National Educa-
tional Association at almost every session that
these organizations have held, and I have been
very glad to accept the invitation as “often as I
could ﬁnd time to do so.

The following September I delivered the open-
ing address before the Brooklyn Institute of Arts
and Sciences,in Brooklyn, N. Y., and in October
of the sameyear while in Durham, N. C., for the
purpose of speaking at the Agricultural ' and
Mechanical Fair held at that place by the colored
people, I was invited by the President of Trinity
College,located in Durham, to deliver an address
before the students of that college. This was the
first time that I had ever received an invitation to
address a white college 1n the South. I accepted 4
the invitation and was treated with every possible
Courtesy both by the ofﬁcers and students of the
college. After my address, as I was preparing
to leave the grounds in company with a number

 

SENIOR CLASS IN PSYCHOLOGY, TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

 

BRICKMAKING AT THE TUSKEGEE BRICKYARD.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 191

of colored friends who had been kind enough to
call With me, the students assembled in the front

yard and gave me their usual college yell in a
hearty manner. ,

13

 

CHAPTER XIII.
URGED FOR A CABINET POSITION.

Soon after the election of Major McKinley
to the oﬂice of President in 1896, the Washington
Post, to the surprise of nearly everybody, came
out with a strong editorial urging the President-
Elect to give me a place in his cabinet. The
name of the late Hon. B. K. Bruce was also sug-
gested in the same connection. This editorial
created quite a journalistic discussion which ex-
tended to all parts of the country. I give a few
extracts from newspapers that maylindicate the
character of this discussion.

- The Washington Post, which, I think, was the}
ﬁrst paper to discuss the propriety of my selection
‘ as a cabinet ofﬁcer, opened the discussion with
the following article:

“There 18 one problem which Mr. McKinley, if
he be a just and grateful man—-as we think he 18
—-—will have to consider, and consider very seri-
ously. We havein mind the problem of what the
Republican party proposes to do by way of rec-
ognizing its obligations to the colored voter.
That party has owed much to the loyal and un-

selﬁsh devotion of the race in times gone by, but
193

194 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

never so much as in the campaign which it has
conducted to a triumphant conclusion. What,
now, will Mr. McKinley do to testify his grati-
tude?

“At every stage of his personal ﬁght Mr. Mc-
Kinley has been indebted to the Negro. It was
the Negro contingent at St. Louis that made his
nomination certain. It was the N egro’s ﬁrm stand
for gold that forced the sound money issue "upon
the convention. It was the N egro’s vote in such
States as Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky,
Ohio, Delaware and Indiana that made his victory
possible. We all know now that McKinley would
have had next to no chance at all had not the St.
Louis convention declared emphatically and un-
equivocally for the gold standard. As between a
simple declaration for tariff revision on the one
hand and for free silver coinage without tariff dis-
turbances on the other, the great Eastern and
Middle States would have had but a languid
choice. .It was the solid sound money front pre-
sented by the colored delegates that compelled the
adoption of the gold clause in the plathrm, and
furnished Mr. McKinley with the issue upon which
he rallied to his banner the merchants, the manu-
facturers, and the moneyed corporations through- '
out the land. Mr. McKinley could not have been
elected but by the course pursued by the Negroes
before. during, and after the assembling of the St.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 195

Louis convention. N ow, in what fashion does he‘
intend to recognize and reward their service?

“It seems to us that at least one cabinet posi-
tion should be given to the race. Let us say the
portfolio of Agriculture, for example. There are i
many colored men of notable attainments, of large
' experience in public life, and of the highest per-
sonal character, eminently qualiﬁed to discharge
the duties of this oﬂice with credit to the admin-
istration and honor to themselves. We might
name such men as Hon. B. K. Bruce and Prof.
Booker T. Washington. Mr. Bruce has been a
Senator of the United States, and it may be truly
said of him that in that capacity he won the re-
spect and esteem of all his colleagues and served
his country with distinction. He also served a
term as Register of the Treasury and another as
Recorder of Deeds under the District government,
always with notable ability. Prof. Washington
is universally recognized as one of the foremost
educators in the country. The institute over
which he presides, at Tuskegee, Ala., has become
conspicuous under his management, and is to-day
. ranked with the most useful and admirable of our
seats of learning. The appointment of either of
these gentlemen to the control of one of the
executive departments would be a graceful
acknOwledgment of the obligations which the
Republican party has incurred, and ' which we

196 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

should think it would be anxious to discharge.
"We do not limit Mr. McKinley to these two.
There are —-many other colored men abundantly
‘ﬁtted for a Cabinet position. It happens simply
that eX-Senator Bruce and Prof. Washington
occurred to us ﬁrst in running over the list of
eligibles.

“Returning to the abstract proposition, how-
ever, it is clear to us that Mr. McKinley owes his
election, ﬁrst to the ﬁdelity and wise foresight
of the colored delegates at St. Louis, and secondly
to the loyal support of the colored voters in half
a dozen states necessary to his election, which
could not possibly have been carried for him with-
out their aid. He is under obligations, which, as
a man of feeling, he cannot well ignore and which
he could most felicitously acknowledge by ask-
-ing some truly representative Negro to enter his
ofﬁcial family.”

The Canton (Ohio) Repository, after discuss-
ing in a long article a number of men, white and
black, suitable for cabinet material, concluded as
follows.

“Another able man is Prof. Booker T. Wash-
ington, the head of, the Tuskegee Normal School,
of Alabama. Mr. Washington has been spoken
of for Secretary of Agriculture under the new
administration, and is one of the foremost leaders
of the colored race in this country and a pioneer

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 197

in the industrial and educational development of
his people. He is one of the younger leaders of
the colored people and fully understands their
needs and hOpes. His address at the opening of
the Atlanta Exposition has been favorably com- .
mented upon by all classes of people. He is the
originator of the Normal college and is doing a
great work in the South.”

There were other articles of similar character
in other papers at the time, and still others of
course that opposed vigorously the idea of placing
a Negro in the Cabinet of the President of the
United States.

In a speech delivered to the colored citizens of
Boston, Mass., soon after this discussion began, I
openly declared that under no circumstances
would I accept a political appointment that would
result in‘my turning aside from the work which I
had begun at Tuskegee. ’

In the spring of 1897 -I was invited by Dr.
F rancis J. Grimke, pastor of the I 5th St. Presby-
terian Church, Washington, D. C., to deliver an
address in his church. My subject on this oc-
casion was “The Things in Hand.” It was just
after President McKinley had been inaugurated ‘
as President. Washington was full of people
from all over the country,and among them not a
few colored people seeking oﬁice. At this meet-
ing I urged as strongly as I could that the colored

198 ‘ THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK, ‘

people should cease depending so much on office,
and give more attention to industrial or business
enterprises. This created a wide discussion
among the, colored people, especially among
those who were in Washington seeking ofﬁce. I
have always held that the Negro has the same
right to aspire to political or appointive ofﬁces as
the White man has, but in our present condition
we will be more sure of laying a foundation that
will result in permanent political recognition in
the future by giving attention at the present time
in a very large measure to education, business
and industry, than merely by seeking political
ofﬁce. I would have the Negro give up no right
guaranteed to him by the Constitution of the
United States, but I am also convinced that the
way for him to secure the opportunity to exercise
his rights guaranteed to him by the Constitution
is to make himself the most useful and inde-
pendent citizen in his community.-

In certain quarters, for a number of years, a
certain element of our people have opposed my
plan for the elevation of the Negroes, on the
ground that they have felt that I was not in favor
of the Negro receiving a college education. This
is an error. I do not oppose college education
for our people, but I do urge that a larger per-
centage of our young men and women, whether
educated in college or not, give the strength of

BOOKER 1T. WASHINGTON. #199

their education in the direction of commercial or'
industrial development, just the same as the white
man does. I have tried to show my approval of
college education by giving as many college men
as possible employment, and have on our pay roll
at Tuskegee, constantly, from ﬁfteen to twenty
men and women who have been educated at‘ the
leading colleges throughout the country. The
best way to approve of college education is to
give those educated at college something to do.
The great need for the next ﬁfty or one, hundred
years among our people will be the sending out
among them of men and women thoroughly
equipped with academic and religious training,
together with industrial or hand training, so that
they can lead the masses to a betterment of their
present industrial and material condition. The
young white man who graduates at college, in
nine cases out of ten, ﬁnds a business waiting for
him that he can enter into as soon as he gets his
college diploma. This business has been created
by his father, grandfather or great-grandfather
years before, but the black boy graduating from
college ﬁnds no business waiting for him; he must
start a business for himself; therefore, it is im-
portant, in our present condition, that the Negro
be so educated along technical and industrial lines
that he can found a business for himself. In the
matter of technical or industrial education the

200 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

blacks are not keeping up with the whites. Every '
state has technical schools for white boys and ~
girls, and we can not expect to retain our hold on
the industries of the South, unless we give special
attention to preparing ourselves for doing the best
work. In too many cases the Negro carpenter,
the Negro blacksmith, the Negro contractor, and
laundry woman are being replaced by white
people who have come into the South from the
North. We can only retain our hold upon the
industries of the South by putting into the ﬁeld
men and women of the highest intelligence and
skill. We must learn to do the tasks about our
door in a thorough manner; to do a common
thing in an uncommon manner; to be sure that
nobody else can improve on our work.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE SHAW MONUMENT SPEECH, THE VISIT OF
SECRETARY JAMES WILSON, AND THE LETTER
TO THE LOUISIANA CONVENTION.

In the spring of 1897 I received a letter from
Hon. Edward Atkinson, of Boston, inviting me
to deliver an address at the dedication of the
Robert Gould Shaw monument in Boston. I
take it for granted that my readers already
know all about the history and achievements of
Robert Gould Shaw. ' The monument dedicated
to his memory stands on the historic Boston
Common, facing Beacon Street, and is said to be
the most perfect piece of art of the kind in, this
country. -

The meeting in connection with the dedicatory
exercises was held in Music Hall,,Boston, which
was packed from bottom to top with perhaps
one of the most diStinguished audiences that has
ever assembled in‘ Boston. In fact, there was a
large number of the‘ old anti-slavery element
present than will perhaps ever assemble again in
this country. Hon. Roger Wolcott, Governor
’ of Massachusetts, was the presiding ofﬁcer. On

the platform were the Mayor of Boston, the.

Lieutenant Governor, members of the Governor’ s
201

~\

202 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

Council and of the city government of Boston,.
besides hundreds of other distinguished persons.

As to the impressiOn made by this address 1
shall let an editorial which appeared in the Bos-
ton Transcript the next day, together with a few
other newspaper accounts, tell the story.

I spoke as follows :—

“Mr. Chairman and fellow citizensz-u

“In this presence, and on this sacred and
memorable day, in the deeds and death of our
hero, we recall the old, old story, ever old, yet
ever new, that when it was the will of the Father
to lift humanity out of wretchedness and bondage,
‘ the precious task was delegated to him who
among ten thousand was altogether lovely, and
was willing to make himself of no reputation that
he might save and lift up others.

“If that heart could throb and those lips could
’speak, what would be the sentiment and words
that Robert Gould Shaw would have us feel and
speak at this hour? He would not have us to dwell
long on the mistakes, the injustice, the criticisms
of the days——

‘Of storm and cloud, of doubt and fears,
Across the eternal sky must lower;
_ Before the glorious noon appears.’

“He would have us bind up with his own
undying fame and memory and retain by the
side of his monument, the name of John A.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 203

Andrew, who, with prophetic vision and strong
arm, helped to make the existence of the 54th
regiment possible; and that of George L. Stearns,
who, with hidden generosity and .a great,
sweet heart, helped to turn the darkest
hour into day, and in doing so freely gave serv-
ice, fortune and life itself to the cause which this
day commemorates. Nor would he have us for-
get those brother oﬁ'icers, living and dead, who,
by their baptism in blood and ﬁre, in defense of
Union and freedom, gave us an example of the
highest and purest patriotism.

“To you who fought so valiantly in the ranks,
the scarred and scattered remnant of the 54th
regiment, who with empty sleeve and wanting
leg, have honored this occasion with your pres-
ence, to you your commander is not dead.
Though Boston erected no monument,and history
recorded no story, in you and the loyal race you '
represent, Robert Gould Shaw would have a
monument which time could not wear away.

“But an occasion like this is too great, too sacred,
for mere individual eulogy. The individual is the
instrument, national virtue the end. That which
was three hundred years being woven into the
warp and woof of our democratic institutions
could not [be effaced by a single battle, 'as mag-
. niﬁcent as was that battle; that which for three
centuries had bound master and slave, yea, North

204 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND ,WORK.

and South, to a body of death, could not be blot-
ted out by four years of war, could not be atoned
for by shot and sword, nor by blood and tears.
“Not many days ago, in the heart of the South,
in a large gathering of the people of my race,
there were heard from many lips praises and
thanksgiving to God for his goodness in setting
them free from physical slavery. In the midst
of that assembly a Southern white man arose,
with gray hair and trembling hands, the former
owner of many slaves, and from his quivering
lips there came the words: “My friends, you
‘forget in your rejoicing that in setting you free,
God was also good to me and my race in setting
us free.” But there is a higher and deeper sense
in which both races must be free than that repre-
sented by the bill of sale. The black man who
cannot let love and sympathy go out to the white
man is but half free. The white man who would
close the shop or factory against a black man
seeking an opportunity to earn an honest living is
but half free. The white man Who retards his
own development by opposing a black man is
a but half free; The full measure of the fruit of
Fort Wagner and all that this monument stands
for will not be realized until every man covered
'With a black skin shall by patient and natural
effort, grow to that height in industry, property,
intelligence and moral responsibility, where no

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 205

man in all our land will be tempted to degrade
himself by withholding from his black brother
any opportunity which he himself would possess.

“Until that time comes this monument will
stand for effort, not victory complete. What
these heroic souls of the 54th regiment began we
must complete. It must be completed not in mal-
ice, nor in narrowness; not in artiﬁcial progress,
nor in efforts at mere temporary political gain,
nor in abuse of another section or race. Standing
as I do to-day in the home of Garrison and Phillips
and Sumner, my heart goes out to those who wore
the gray as well as to those clothed in the blue; to
those who returned defeated, to destitute homes,
- to face blasted hopes and a shattered political and
industrial system. To them there can be no
prouder reward for defeat than by a supreme
effort to place the Negro on that footing where
he will add material, intellectual and civil strength
to every department of the State.

“This work must be completed in the public
school, industrial school and college. The most
of it must be completed in the effort of the Negro
himself, in his effort to withstand temptation, to
economize, to exercise thrift, to disregard the
superﬁcial for the real, the shadow for the sub-
stance, to be great and yet small, in his effort to
be patient in the laying of a ﬁrm foundation, to
grow so strong in skill and knowledge that he

206 ' THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

shall place his service in demand by reason of his
intrinsic and superior Worth. All this makes the
key that unlocks every door of opportunity, and
all others fail. In this battle of? peace the rich
and poor, the black and white may have a part.

“What lessons has this occasion for the future?
What of, hope, what of encouragement, what of
caution? ‘Watchman, tell us of the night; what
the signs of promise are.’ If through me, an
humble representative, nearly ten millions of my
people might be permitted to send a message to
Massachusetts, to the survivors of the 54th regi-
_ ment, to the committee \whose untiring energy
has made this memorial possible, to the family
who gave their only boy that We might have life
more abundantly, that message would be, ‘Tell
them that the sacriﬁce was not in vain, that up
from the depth of ignorance and poverty we are
coming, and if we come through oppression out
of the struggle, we are gaining strength. By the
way of the school, the well cultivated ﬁeld, the
skilled hand, the Christian home, we are coming
up; that we propose to invite all who will to step
up and occupy this position with us. Tell them
that we are learning that standing ground for a
race, as for an individual, must be laid in intelli-
gence, industry, thrift and property, not as an end,
but as a means to the highest privileges; that we
, are learning that neither the conqueror’s bullet

 

A CORNER IN MILLINERY ROOM, TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE. . 1

 

GIRLS AT TUSKEGEE LEARNING DAIRYING.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 207

nor the ﬂat of law could make an ignorant voter
an intelligent V'oter, could make a dependent "man
an independent man, Could give one citizen re-
spect for another, a bank account, nor a foot of
' land, nor an enlightened ﬁreside. Tell them that
as grateful as we are to artist and patriotism for
placing the ﬁgures of Shaw and his comrades in
physical form of beauty and magniﬁcence, that
after all, the real monument, the greater monu-
ment, is being slowly but safely builded among
the lowly in the South, in the struggles and sacri-
ﬁces of a race to justify all that has, been done
and suffered for it.’

“One of the wishes that lay nearest Colonel
Shaw’s heart was that his black troops might be
permitted to ﬁght by the side of the White soldiers.
Have we not liVed to see that wish realized, and _
will it not be more so in the future? Not at
Wagner, not with riﬂe and bayonet, but on the
ﬁeld of peace, in the battle of industry, in the
struggle for good government, in the lifting up of
the lowest to the fullest opportunities. In this we
shall ﬁght by the sideiof the white man, North
and South. And if this be true, as under God’s
guidance it will, that old ﬂag, that emblem of
progress and security, which brave Sergeant Car-
ney never permitted to fall upon the ground, will

still be borne aloft by Southern soldier and N orth- ‘
14

208 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ern soldier, and, in a more potent and higher
sense, We shall all realize that—
‘The slave’s chain and the master’s alike broken;
The one curse of the race held both in tether;
They are rising, all are rising—
The black and the white together. ’ "

From the Boston Evening Transcript of June
Ist, the following is taken:

“The core and kernel of yesterday’s great
noon meeting in honor of the Brotherhood of
Man in Music Hall, was the superb address of the
Negro President of Tuskegee. Booker T. Wash-
ington received his Harvard A. M. last June, the
ﬁrst of his race, said Governor Wolcott, to receive
an honorary degree from the oldest university in
this country, and this for the wise leadership of
his people. And when Mr. Washington rose up
in the ﬂag-ﬁlled, enthusiasm-warmed, patriotic
and glowing atmosphere of Music Hall, people
felt keenly that here was the civic justiﬁcation of
the old abolition spirit of Massachusetts, in his
person the proof of her ancient and indomitable
faith; in his strong thought and rich oratory, the
crown and glory of the old war days of suffering
and strife. The scene was full of historic beauty
and a" deep signiﬁcance. ‘Cold’ Boston was
alive with the ﬁre that is always hot in her heart
for righteousness and truth. Rows and rows of
people who are seldom seen at any public func‘

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 209

tion, whole families of those who are certain to
be out of town on a holiday, crowded the place
to overﬂowing. The city was at her birthright
fete in the persons of hundreds of her best citi-
zens, men and women whose lives and names
stand for the virtues that make for honorable
civic pride.

“Battle music had ﬁlled the air. Ovation after
ovation, applause warm and prolonged had greet-
ed the oﬂicers and friends of Colonel Shaw, the
sculptor, St. Gaudens, the memorial committee,
the Governor and his staff, and the Negro soldiers
of the F ifty-fourth Massachusetts as they came
upon the platform or (entered .the hall.- Chief
Marshal Appleton and'Mr. Chaplain Hall had
performed their duties. Colonel Henry Lee, of
Governor Andrew’s old staff, had made the noble,
simple presentation speech for the committee,
paying tribute to the chairman, Mr. John M.
Forbes, in whose stead he served. Governor
wolcott had made his short memorable speech,
saying, ‘Fort Wagner marked an epoch in the his-
tory of a race and called it into manhood.’
Mayor Quincy had received the monument for
the city of Boston in eloquent words. Professor
James, brother of Adjutant James, who fell at
Fort Wagner, wounded but not killed, had told
the story of Colonel Shaw and his black regiment
in gallant words. He got at the soul of the day’s

210 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

meaning when he said that the battle-instinct is
strong enough in the race, bred in our bone
and blood, but what is needed is ‘that lonely kind
of valor, civic courage we call it in time of peace ;’
which blesses a nation with a continued saying,
and whose ‘inner mystery’ the precious virtue
of civil genius is preserved in perfect good tem-
per and in power of righteous wrath. And then
after the singing of

‘Mine eyes have seen the glory,
Of the coming of the Lord,’

Booker Washington arose. It was, of course,
just the moment for him. The multitude, shaken
out of its usual Symphony concert calm, quivered
with an excitement that was not suppressed. A
dozen times it had sprung to its feet to cheer and
wave and hurrah, as one person. When this
man of culture and voice and power, as well as
dark skin, began with the bibical poetic touch
in his ﬁrst words, and quickly uttered the names
of Andrew and of Stearns, feeling began to mount.
You could see tears glisten in the eyes of the
soldiers and civilians on the platform. When the
orator turned to the colored soldiers on the plat-
form, to the color bearer of Fort Wagner, who
smiling bore still the ﬂag he never lowered, even
when wounded, and said: ‘To you, to the scarred
and scattered remnants of the F ifty-fourth, who

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 21.1

with empty sleeve and wanting leg, have honored
this occasion with your preSence, to you, your
commander is not dead. Though Boston erected
no monument, and history recorded no story,
in you and the loyal race you represent, Robert _
Gould Shaw would have a monument which time ,
could not wear away,’ then came the climax of
the emotion of the day and the hour. It was
Roger Wolcott as well as the Governor of Mas-
sachusetts, the individual representative of the
people’s sympathy, as well as the chief magistrate,
who had sprung ﬁrst to his feet and cried, ‘Three
cheers to Booker T. Washington.’ ”

One incident, however, I note that the news-
papers do not describe fully. Most of my readers
will perhaps know that Sergeant William H.
Carney, of New Bedford, Mass., was the brave
colored ofﬁcer who at the battle of Fort Wagner,
was the color bearer and held on to the American
ﬂag. Notwithstanding the fact that a large pro-
portion of his regiment was slain,.he escaped in
some miraculous manner and exclaimed, after the
battle was over. “The old ﬂag never touched the
ground.”

Before I made this address I had never met
Sergeant Carney. Sergeant Carney, however,
together with a remnant of the F ifty-fourth Mas-
sachusetts Regiment, was present on a front seat,
and he held in his hand the same ﬂag which he

212 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

had held on to safely during the battle of Fort
Wagner._ When I turned to address the colored
.regiment and referred to Sergeant Carney, he rose
as if by instinct with the ﬂag in his hands. 'It has
been my privilege to Witness a good many satis-
factory and rather sensational demonstrations in
connection with several of my public addresses,
but in‘ dramatic effect I have never seen nor ex-
perienced anything that equaled the impression
made on the audience when Sergeant Carney
arose. For a good many minutes the audience
seemed to entirely lose control of itself, and
patriotic feeling was at a high pitch.

In November, 1897, the Tuskegee Institute
received its ﬁrst recognition from a member of
the President’s cabinet, in the way of a visit from
Hon. James A. Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture.
A year previous to the visit of Secretary Wilson,
I began making efforts, in connection with friends
of the institution, to raise money enough to erect
a building to be devoted wholly to the teaching
of agriculture, horticulture, dairying, fruit-gar-
dening, market gardening, etc. About $10,000
was secured for the erection of this building.
Secretary Wilson, Whom I had met in the West
some months before, promised me that he would
try to be present at the formal opening of this
building, and he kept his promise. Secretary
Wilson was accompanied from Washington by ‘

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 213

Dr. J. L. M. Curry, the agent of the John F.
Slater Fund, and was met at Tuskegee by Gov.
Joseph F. Johnston and a large crowd of colored
and white citizens. In addition to the persons
named there were present, EX-Gov. Northern, of
Georgia, and the State Superintendent of Educa?
tion of Georgia, Major Glenn. The occasion was
widely published throughout the country and did
much to place the work of the school prominently
before the people. The opening of this building
marked the beginning of a, new era in the history
of the Tuskegee Institute,as since that time we
have emphasized the teaching of agriculture to
our students. During the earlier years of the
school we found it difﬁcult to get students to take
much interest in our farm work. They wanted
to go into the mechanical trades instead.

After the opening of this agricultural building
- and the securing of Mr. Geo. ‘W. Carver, a
thoroughly educated man in all matters pertain-
ing to agriculture, the Agricultural Department
has been put upon such a high plane that the
students no longer look upon agriculture as a
drudgery, and many of our best students are
anxious to enter the Agricultural Department.
We have demands from all parts of the South
for men who have ﬁnished our courses in agri-
culture, dairying, etc., in fact, the demands are far
greater than we can supply. Ioften wonder why

214 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

it is, there being such excellent openings in these
directions, that so few of our young men are will-
-ing to prepare themselves for these valuable and
responsible positions.

Ishall not occupy much more of the reader’s
time in detailing accounts of my various speech-
making tours; were I to do so, a good part of this
volume would be occupied in a description of
them. Nearly one-half of my time is spent away
from Tuskegee addressing audiences of various
kinds in different parts of the country; sometimes
in the South, at other times in the Middle or East—
ern States, and going as far West in many cases
as Denver and Omaha. There is never a day
that I do not receive a number of invitations urg-
ing me to go to some section of the country to
make an address. When I am away from Tuske-
gee the portion of the time that is not spent in
making addresses in behalf of Tuskegee is spent
in seeing individuals. The latter work I consider
very important and far-reaching.

During the winter of 1898 a State Constitu-
tional Convention assembled in New Orleans, La.,
. for the purpose of passing a law which would re-
sult, in disfranchising a large proportion of the
Negro voters. Some of the members of the Con-
vention Were very anxious to pass a law that would
result in the disfranchising of the Negro voters
without disfranchising any" portion of the white

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 215

voters. The passing of any such law seemed to‘

me so manifestly unjust that I addressed an open

letter to the Convention, which read as follows:

“ To the Louisiana State Constitutional Conven-
tion: \

“In addressing you this letter I know thatI
am running the risk of appearing to meddle with
something that does not concern me. But since
I know that nothing but love for our beautiful
southland, which I hold as near my heart as any

of you can, and a sincere love for every black -

man and white man within her borders, is the
only thing actuating me to write, I am Willing to
be misjudged, if need be, if I can accomplish a
little good.

“But I do not believe that you, gentlemen of

the Convention, will misinterpret my motives.
What I say will,I believe, be considered in the
same earnest spirit in which I write. _
‘ “I am no politician; on the other hand, I have
always advised my race to give attention to
acquiring property, intelligence and character, as
the necessary bases of good citizenship, rather
than to mere political agitation. But the ques-
tion upon which I write is out of the region of
ordinary politics; it affects the civilization of two
races, not for today alone, but for a very long
time to come; it is up in the region of duty of
man to man, of Christian to Christian.

215 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

“Since the war, no State has had such an op-
portunity to settle for all time the race question,
so far as it concerns politics, as is now given in
Louisiana. Will ybur Convention set an example
,to the world in this respect? Will Louisiana
take such high and just ground 1n respect to the
Negro that no one can doubt that the South is as
good a friend to the Negro as he possesses else-
where? In all this, gentlemen of the Convention,
I am not pleading for the Negro alone, but for
the morals, the higher life of the white man as
well. For the more I study this question, the
more I am convinced that it is not so much a
question as to what the white man will do with
the Negro, as to what the Negro will do with the
white man’s civilization.

“The Negro agrees with you that it is neces-
sary to the salvation of the South that restriction
be put upon the ballot. I know that you have two
serious problems before you; ignorant and cor-
rupt government on the one hand, and on the
other a way to restrict the ballot so that control
will be in the hands of the intelligent, without re-
gard to race. With the sincerest sympathy with
you in your efforts to ﬁnd a way out of the difﬁ-
culty, I want to suggest that no State in the
South can make a law that will provide an oppor-
tunity or temptation for an ignorant White man
to vote, and withhold the same opportunity from

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 217

an ignorant colored man, without injuring both
men. N 0 State can make a law that can thus be
executed, without dwarﬁng for all time the
morals of the white man in the South. Any law
controlling the ballot, that is not absolutely just
and fair to both races, will work more permanent
injury to the whites than to the blacks.

“ The Negro does not object to an education or
property test, but let the law be so clear that no .
one clothed with State authority will be tempted
to perjure and degrade himself, by putting one
interpretation upon it for the White man and
another for the black man. Study the history of
the South, and you will ﬁnd that where there has
been the most dishonesty in the matter of voting,
there you will ﬁnd today the lowest moral condi- /
tion of‘both races. First, there was the tempta-
tion to act wrongly with the Negro’s ballot. 4
From this it was an easy step to dishonesty with
the white man’s ballot, to the carrying of con-
cealed weapons, to the murder of a Negro, and '
then to the murder of a white man and then to
lynching. I entreat you not to pass such a law as '
will prove an eternal mil’lstone about the neck of
your children.

“ No man can have respect for government and
ofﬁcers of the law when he knows, deep down in
his heart, that the exercise 0? the franchise is
tainted with fraud.

21$ ' THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

“The road that the South has been compelled
to travel during the last thirty years has been
strewn with thorns and thistles. It has been as
one groping through the long darkness into
the light. The time is not very far distant when
the world will begin to appreciate the real
character of the burden that was imposed upon
the South when 4, 500,000 ex-slaves, ignorant and
improverished, were given the franchise. No
people had before been given such a problem to
solve. History had blazed no path through the
wilderness that could be followed. For thirty
years we have wandered in the wilderness. We
are beginning to get out. But there is but one _
road out, and all makeshifts, expedients, ‘proﬁt
and loss calculations,’ but lead into the swamps,
quicksands, quagmires and jungles. There is a
highway that will lead both races out into the
pure, beautiful sunshine, Where there will be
nothing to hide and nothing to explain, where
both \races can grow strong and true and useful
in every ﬁbre of their being. I believe that your
Convention will ﬁnd this highway; that it will
enact a fundamental law which will be absolutely
just and fair to white and black alike.

“I beg of you, further, that in the degree that
you close the ballot box against the ignorant,
you open the school house. More than one-
half‘ of the people of your State are Negroes.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 219

N 0 State can long prosper when a large percent.
age of its citizenship is in ignorance and poverty,
and has no interest in government. I beg of you
that you do not treat us as an alien people. We
are not aliens. You know us; you know that we
have cleared your forests, tilled your ﬁelds, nursed
your children and protected your families. There
is an attachment between us that few understand.
While I do not presume to advise you, yet it is
in my heart to say that if your convention would
do something that would prevent, for all time,
strained relations between the two races, and
would permanently settle the/matter of political ~
relations in one State in the South, at least, let
the very best educational opportunities be pro-
vided for both races; and add to this the enact-
ment of an election law that shall be incapable of
unjust discrimination, at the same time providing
that in proportion as the ignorant secure educa
tion, property and character, they will be given
the right of citizenship. Any other course will
take from one-half of your citizens interest in the
State, and hope and ambition to become intel-
ligent producers and tax-payers—to become use.
ful and Virtuous citizens. Any other course Will
tie the white citizens of Louisiana to a body of
death.

“The Negroes are not unmindful of the fact
that the White people of your State pay the

15,220 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

greater portion of the school taxes, and that the
poverty of the State prevents it from doing all
that it desires for public education; yet, ‘I be-
lieve you will agree with me, that ignorance is
more costly to the State than education; that it
will cost Louisiana more not to educate the
Negroes than it will to educate them. In con-
nection with a generOus provision for public
schools, I believe that nothing will "so help my
own people in your State as provision at some in-
stitution for the highest academic and normal train-
ing in connection with thorough training in agricul-
ture, mechanics and domestic economy. The fact
is, that 90 per cent. of our people depend upon
the common occupations for their living, ‘and out-
, side of the cities, 85 per cent. depend upon agri-
culture for support. Notwithstanding this, our
people have been educated since the war in every-
thing else but the very things that most of them
live by. F irst-class training in agriculture, horti-
culture, dairying, stock raising, the mechanical
arts and domestic economy, will make us intelli-
gent producers, and not only help us to contribute
our proportion as taxpayers, but will result in
retaining much money in the State that now goes
out for that which can be produced in the State.
An institution that will give this training of the
hand, along with the highest mental culture, will
soon convince our people that their salvation is in

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 221

the ownership of property, industrial and business
development, rather than mere political agitation.

“ The highest test of civilization of any race is.
in its willingness to extend a helping hand to the
less fortunate. A race, like an individual, lifts
itself up by lifting others up. Surely no people
ever had a greater chance to exhibit the highest
Christian fortitude and magnanimity than is now
presented to the people of Louisiana. It requires
little wisdom or statesmanship to repress, to
crush out, to retard the hopes and aspirations of
a people, but the highest and most profound
statesmanship is shown in guiding and stimulating
a people so that every ﬁbre in the body, mind
and soul shall be made to contribute in the high-
est degree to the usefulness and nobility of the
State. It is along this line that I pray God the
thoughts and activities of your Convention be
guided.”

This letter was sent out through the Associated
Press widely through the country. The leading
papers of New Orleans as well as those in many
other parts of the South indorsed my position
editorially. The law that was ﬁnally passed by the
Convention, While not as bad as when ﬁrst pre-
sented, was not by any means the law that should
have been enacted. In June of the same year I
delivered the annual addresswbefOre the Regents V
of, the University of New York, at Albany.

CHAPTER XV .

CUBAN EDUCATION AND THE CHICAGO PEACE JUB-
ILEE ADDRESS.

Immediately after the close of the Spanish-
American war the Tuskegee Institute started a
movement to bring a number of Cuban and Porto
Rican students'to Tuskegee, for the purpose of
receiving training. The idea was pretty generally
endorsed, and Within a reasonably short time
enough funds were donated by individuals
thrOughout the country to provide for the educa-
tion of ten students from Cuba and Porto Rico.
These students are now at Tuskegee taking the
regular courses of training and are making a
Creditable record. It is the plan to have them
return to their island homes and give their people
the beneﬁt of their education.

Perhaps no single agency has been more potent
during the last ten years in assisting the Negro to
better his condition than the John F. Slater Fund,
to WhichI have already referred. The trustees
of this fund are among the most successful and
generous business men in the country, and they
.- are using the fund very largely as a means of

pointing the proper direction of the education of
. 222

 

 

 

MRS. OLIVIA DAVIDSON WASHINGTON.

 

 

GIRLS A'I‘ TUSKEGEE ENGAGED. AT FLORICULTURE.

 

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. T 223 »

the Negro. During 1898 the Slater Fund trustees
made an appropriation which was to be used in"
enabling Mrs. Washington and myself to go into
all of the Southern cities and deliver lectures to
our people, especially in the large cities, speaking
to them plainly about their present material, ﬁ-
nancial, physical, educational and moral needs,
and trying to point out away by which they
could improve. We spent a portion of the sum-
mer of 1898 in going into cities in North and
South Carolina. Meetings were held in Greens-
boro, \Vilmington, Columbia and Charleston, and
everywhere we spoke the houses were packed full.
We spoke four or ﬁve times in Charleston,
and the audience rooms were crowded at every
meeting with representatives of both races. We
have the satisfaction of. feeling that these/meetings
accomplished a great deal of good, and every-
»Where we were overwhelmed with thanks from r
the people for our words. The newspapers gave
nus all the space we desired and not only helped
through their news columns, but were generous
in their editorial mention.
When the Spanish-American war closed there ,
, was great rejoicing throughout the country,and
many cities vied with each other in their effort to
celebrate the return of peace on a scale that
would command the attention of the whole coun-

try. The city of Chicago, however, seemed to
15 - "

224 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

have been the most successful in these celebra-
jtions. Chicago was fortunate in securing the
President of the United States, together with
nearly all the members of his cabinet, and various
foreign ministers and other important ofﬁcials.
This gave the celebration in Chicago a national
importance such as attached to the celebration
held by no other city.

I was asked by President William R. Harper,
of the University of Chicago, chairman of the
committee on invitations, to deliver one of the
addresses in Chicago. I accepted the invitation
and delivered, in fact, two addresses, during the
Jubilee week in Chicago. The principal address
'which I delivered on this occasion was on Sunday
evening, October 16. The meeting was held in
the Chicago Auditorium, and was the largest
audience that I have ever spoken to in any part of
the country. Besides speaking in the main audi-
torium, I addressed, on the same evening, two
overﬂow audiences held in different portions of the
city. It is said there were 16,000 people in the
Auditorium, and it seems to me “there were at
least 16,000 on the outside trying to get into the
building. In fact, without the aid of a policeman,
it was impossible for any one to get anywhere
near the entrance. The meeting was attended
by President William McKinley, the members of
his cabinet, foreign ministers and a large number

- BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. 225

of army and navy ofﬁcers, many of whom had
distinguished themselves during the Spanish-
American war. The speakers, besides myself,
on Sunday evening, were Rabbi Emil G. Hirsch,-
Father Thomas P.\ Hodnett and Dr. John H.
Barrows.

The speech which I delivered on Sunday even-
ing was as follows:

“Air. C izaz’rmcm, Ladies and Genﬂemen.’

“On an important occasion in the life of the
Master, when it fell to Him ’to pronounce judg-
ment on two courses of action, these memorable
words fell from his lips: ‘And Mary hath chosen ,
the better part.’ This was the supreme test in
the case of an individual. It is the highest test
in the case of a race or nation. Let us apply the
test to the American Negro.

“In the life of our Republic, when he has had
the opportunity to choose, has it been the better
or worse part? ~When in the childhood of this
nation the Negro was asked to submit to slavery
or choose death and extinction, as did the abo-
rigines, he chose the better part, that which per-
petuated the race.

“When in. 1776 the Negro was asked to decide
between British oppression and American inde-
pendence, we ﬁnd him choosing the. better part,
and Crispus Attucks, a Negro, was the ﬁrst to,

226' THE STORY OF MY LIFE (AND WORK,

‘ shed his blood on State street, Boston, that the
white American might enjoy liberty forever,
though his race remained in slavery.

“When in 1814, at New Orleans, the test of
patriotism came again, we ﬁnd the Negro choos-
ing the better part, and Gen. Andrew Jackson
himself testifying that no heart was more loyal
.and no arm more strong and useful in defense of
righteousness.

“When the long and memorable struggle came
between ‘ union and separation, when we knew
that victory on one hand meant freedom, and
defeat on the other his continued enslavement,
with a full knowledge of the portentous meaning
of it all, when the suggestion and temptation
came to burn the home and massacre wife and
children during the absence of the master in battle,
and thus insure his liberty, we ﬁnd him choosing
the better part, and for four long years protecting
and supporting the helpless, defenseless ones en-
trusted to his care.

“When in 1863 the cause of the union seemed
to quiver in the balance, and there were doubt
and distrust, the N egrowas asked to come to the
rescue in arms, and the valor displayed at Fort
Wagner and Port Hudson and Fort Pillow tes-
tiﬁes most eloquently again that the Negro chose
the better part.

“When a few months ago the safety and honor

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. . 227

of the republic were threatened by a foreign foe,
when the wail and anguish of the oppressed from
a distant isle reached his ears, we ﬁnd the Negro
forgetting his own wrongs, forgetting the laws
and customs that discriminated against him in his
own country, again choosing the better part—the
part of honor and humanity. And if you would
know how he deported himself in‘t'he field at
Santiago, apply for an answer to Shafter and
Roosevelt and Wheeler. Let th’emi tell how the
Negro faced death and laid down his life in de- _
fense of honor and humanity, and when you have
gotten the full story of the heroic conduct of the
Negro in the Spanish-American war—heard it
. from the lips of Northern soldiers, and Southern
soldiers, from ex-abolitionists and exfmastersm
then decide within yourselves whether a race
that is thus willing to die for its country should
not be given the highest opportunity to live for
its country.

“In the midst of all the complaints of suffering
in the camp and ﬁeld, suffering from fever and
hunger, Where is the ofﬁcial /or citizen that has
heard a word of complaint from the lips of a
black soldier? The only request that has come
from the Negro soldier has been that he might
be permitted to replace the white soldier when
heat and malaria began to decimate the ranks of

228 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK;

the white regiment, and to occupy at the same
time the post of greatest danger.

“This country has been most fortunate in her
victories. She has twice measured arms with
England and has won. She has met the spirit of
rebellion within her borders and was victorious.
She has met the proud Spaniard, and he lays
prostrate at her feet. All this is well, it is mag-
niﬁcent. But there remains one other victory for
Americans to win—a victory as far-reaching and
important as any that has occupied our army and
navy. We have succeeded in every conﬂict, ex-
cept the effort to conquer ourselves in the blotting
out of racial prejudices. We can celebrate the
era of peace in no more effectual way than by a
ﬁrm resolve on'the part of Northern men and
Southern men, black 'men and white men, that
the trenches that we together dug around Santi-
ago shall be the eternal burial place of all that
which separates us in our business and civil rela-
tions. Let us be as generous in peace as we have
been brave in battle. Until we thus conquer our-
selves,I make no empty statement when I say
that we shall have a cancer gnawing at the heart '
of. the republic that shall one day prove’as dan-
gerous as an attack from an army without or
‘ within.

“In this presence and on this auspicious occa-
sion, I want to present the deep gratitude of

BOOKER ’1‘. WASHINGTON. 229

nearly ten millions of my people to our wise,
patient and brave Chief Executive for the gener-
ous manner in which my race has been recognized
during this conﬂict—a recognition that has done
more to blot out sectional and racial lines than
any event since the dawn of our freedom.

“I know how vain and impotent is all abstract
talk on this subject. In your efforts to ‘rise on
stepping stones of your dead selves,’ we of the
black race shall not leave youunaided. We shall
make the task easier for you by acquiring prop-
erty, habits of thrift, economy, intelligence and
character, by each making himself of individual
worth in his own community. We shall aid you,
in this as we did a few days ago at El Caney and
Santiago, when we helped you to hasten the peace
we here celebrate. You know us; you are not
afraid of us. When the crucial test comes, you
are not ashamed of us. We have never betrayed
or deceived you. You know that as it has been,
so it will be. Whether in war or in peace,
whether in slavery or in freedom, we have always
been loyal to the Stars and Stripes. ”

I shall not attempt to burden the reader with
newspaper comments on this address, but shall
content myself with giving a description that ap-
peared at the time in the Chicago Times-
Herald.

“Booker T. Washington’s address at the

230 THE STORY OF MY 9mm" AND WORK,

Jubilee Thanksgiving services at the Auditorium
Contained one of the most eloquent tributes ever
paid to the loyalty and valor of the colored race,
and at the same time, was one of the most power~
ful appeals for justice to a race which has always
chosen the better part.

“The speaker,’who is the recognized leader of:
the colored race, reviewed the history of his
people from the childhood of the nation to the
present day. He pictured the Negro choosing
slavery rather than extinction; recalled Crispus
Attucks, shedding his blood at the beginning of
the American revolution that white Americans
might be free, while black Americans remained
in slavery; rehearsed the conduct of the Negroes
with Jackson at New Orleans; drew a viVid and
pathetic picture of the Southern slaves protecting
and supporting the families of their masters while
the latter were ﬁghting to perpetuate black
~ slavery; recounted the bravery of colored troOps
at Port Hudson and Forts Wagner and Pillow,
and praised the heroism of the black regiments
that stormed El Caney and Santiago. to give free-
dom to the enslaved people of Cuba, forgetting
for the time being the unjust discrimination that
law and custom make against them in their own
country.

“In all of these things the speaker declared that
his race had chosen the better part. And then “

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. , 231

he made his eloquent appeal to the consciences of
white Americans: ‘When you have gotten the
full story of the heroic conduct of the Negro in
the SpanisheAmerican war, heard it from the lips
of Northern soldier and Southern soldier, from
eX-abolitionists and ex-masters, then decide within
yourselves whether a race that is thus willing to
die for its country, should not be given the
highest opportunity to live for its country.’

“When Americans conquer race prejudice, the
speaker declared, they will have won a victory
greater than can be obtained through the achieve-
ments of arms. He likened the effect of race
discrimination, especially in the Southern States,
to a cancer gnawing at the heart of the republic,
‘as dangerous as an attack from an army within
or withOut.’

“ This is not a threat, but a warning, and one
to which the white race should give heed. The
only solution of the ‘ Negro problem ’ which will
remove all menace to the tranquillity and interest
of the country, is a universal recognition of the
Negro’s civil rights. When law and custom
cease to degrade him and place obstacles in the
way of his advancement; when we cease by unjust
discrimination to ﬁll his heart with despair and
hatred, but instead, give him hope and aid in his
efforts to fully emancipate himself, he will solve

I

232 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

the problem now fraught with vexation and
danger.

“The race is fortunate in having a Booker T.

Washington and other comparatively great men
as living evidence of what education and the de-
velopment of natural faculties have accomplished
for the colored man, as well as what can be
accomplished in the future.
.2‘Only through the defeat of race prejudice can
the colored man hope to acquire his full propor-
tions as a citizen. And in conquering race prej-
udice, the white race will achieve a greater
victory than both races won in the late war.
They will be choosing the better part.”

The portion of the speech which seemed to
raise the wildest and most sensational enthusiasm
was ‘ the part Where I thanked the President for
his recognition of the Negro in his appointments
during the Spanish-American war. The Presi-
dent occupied a seat in a box to the rightof the
platform. When I addressed the President I
turned toward him, and as I closed the sentence
thanking him for his generosity, the whole audi-
ence arose and cheered for some time. The
cheering continued with waving of hats, hand
kerchieves and canes until the President himself
arose in his box and bowed to me two or three
times. This kindled anew the enthusiasm and
the demonstration was almost beyond description.

. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. " 233

I shall not go into all the details relating to the
attention which was shown me during this three
days’ visit to Chicago. I would say that from
the Mayor of the city down, every oﬂicial con-
nected with the Peace Jubilee seemed to give me
the greatest attention, and completely put me at
my ease on every occasion. I was given a posi-
- tion on the President’s stand during the review
of the parade, and dined twice with the Presi-
dent’s party. '

My address was reported in all portions of the
country through the associated press dispatches. ‘
One portion of it seemed to have been misunder-
stood, however, by the Southern press, and some
of the Southern newspapers took exception to
some things that I said and criticised me rather
strongly for what seemed to them a reﬂection
upon the South. These criticisms continued for
several weeks, when I received a letter from the
editor of the Age-Herald, published in Birming-
ham, Alabama, asking me if I would say just
what I meant to say in my address. Ireplied
in the folloWing letter, which seemed to put an
end to all criticism ion the part of the Southern
press, and to satisfy the South:

“ T 0 the Editor of ﬁre ‘A ge-Herald ."

“Replying to your communication of recent
date regarding my Chicago speech, I would say

234 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

that I have made no change whatever in my atti-
tude towards the South or in my idea of the eleva-
tion of the colored man. I have always made it a
rule to say nothing before a Northern audience
that I would not say before a Southern audience.
I do not think it necessary to go into any ex-
tended explanation of what my position is, for if
my seventeen years of work here in the heart of
the South is not a sufﬁcient explanation, I do not
see how mere words can explain. Each year
more and more conﬁrms me in the wisdom of
what I have advocated and tried to do.

“In Chicago, at the Peace Jubilee, in discussing
the relations of the races, I made practically the
same plea that I did in Nashv1lle this summer at
the Young People’s Society of Christian En-
deaVOr, where I spoke almost wholly to a South-
, ern white audience. In Chicago I made the same
plea that I did in a portion of my address at the
opening of the Atlanta Exposition, for the blotting
out of race prejudice in ‘commercial and Civil
relations.’ What is termed social recognition is
a question I never discuss. As I said in my
Atlanta address, ‘The wisest among my race un-
derstand that the agitations of questions of social
equality, is the extremest folly, and that progress
in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will
come to us must be the result of severe and con-
stant struggle rather than of artiﬁcial forcing.’

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 235

God knows that both—we, of the black race and
the white race—have enough problems pressing
upon us for solution without obtruding a social
question, out of which nothing but harm would '
come. _

“In my addresses I very seldom‘refer to the
question of prejudice, because I realize that it is
j something to be lived down, not talked down, but
at that great meeting which marked, in a large
measure, the end of all sectional feeling, Ithought
~ at an opportune time to ask for the blotting out
of racial prejudice as far as possible in ‘business .
and civil relations’.

“In a portion of' my address which was not
sent out by the Associated Press, I made the re-
quest that the Negro be given every opportunity
in proportion as he makes himself worthy. At
Chicago I did not refer wholly to the South or to .
the Southern white peOple. All who are ac-
quainted with the subject will agree that prejudice

exists in the North as well as in the South. I '

naturally laid emphasis upon the South, because,
as we all know, owing to the large proportion
of blacks to 'whites in the South, it is in the
South mainly that the problem is to be worked
out. Whenever I discuss the question of race
prejudice I never do so solely in the interest of
the Negro; I always take higher ground. If a
black man hates a white man, it narrows and

236 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

degrades his soul. If a white man hates a black
man it narrows and degrades his soul.

“Both races will grow stronger in morals, and
prosper in business, just in proportion as in every
manly way they cultivate the conﬁdence and
friendship of each other. Outbreaks of race feel-
ings and strained relations not only injure business,
but retard the moral and religious growth of both
races; and it is the duty among the intelligent
of both races to cultivate patience and moderation.

“Each day convinces me that the salvation of
the Negro in this country will be in his cultiva-
tion of habits of thrift, economy, honesty, the
acquiring of education, Christian character, prop-
erty and industrial skill.”

I have always made it a rule never to say any-
thing in an address in the North that I would not
say in the South. I have no sympathy with any
policy which would leave one to suppose that he
can help matters in the South by merely abusing
the Southern white man. What the South wants
is help and not abuse. Of course, when individ-
uals, communities or states in the South do a
wrong thing, they should be criticised, but it
should be done in a digniﬁed, generous manner.
Mere abuse of a man because he is white or be-
cause he is black amounts to nothing and ends in
harm. Ihave said more than once, and I here
repeat, that I can sympathize as much with a

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 237

white man as with a black man; I can sympathize
as much with a Southern white man as with a
Northern white man. I do not propose that my
nature shall be lowered by my yielding to the
temptation to hate a man because he is white or
because he happens to live in the South. The
Negro who hates a white man is usually little and
narrow. The white man who hates a Negro is
usually little and narrow. Both races will grow
strong, useful and generous in proportion as they
learn to love each other instead of hating each '
other. The Negro race, of all races in the world,
should be the last to cultivate the habit of hating
an individual on account of his race. He will
gain more by being generous than by being nar-
row. If I can do anything to assist a member of
the white race I feel just as happy as if I had done
something to assist a member of the Negro race.
IthinkI have learned that the best way to lift
one’s self up is to help some one else.

While writing upon this subject, it is a pleasure
for me to add that in all my contact with the
white people of the South, I have never received
a single personal insult. The white people in and
near Tuskegee, to an especial degree, seem to
count it a privilege to show me all the respect
within their power, and often go out of their way
to do this. -

Not very long ago, I was making a journey

‘ 238 THE STORY or MY LIFE ANDWORK,

between Dallas, Texas, and Houston. In some
way it became known in advance that I was on
the train. At nearly every station at which the
train stopped, numbers of White people, including
in most cases the ofﬁcials of the town, came
aboard and introduced themselves and thanked
me heartily for the work that I was trying to do
for the South. A

On another occasion, in Georgia, I found in a
Pullman car two ladies from Boston whom I knew
well. These ladies, being ignorant of the customs
of the South, insisted that I take a seat with
them in their section. After some hesitation I
consented. One of them, without my knowledge,
ordered supper to be served to the three of us.
When Ifound that supper had been ordered, I
tried to excuse myself, but the ladies insisted
that I must eat with them. I ﬁnally settled back
in my seat with a sigh, and said to myself: “I
am in for it now, sure.”

At last the meal being’over, I went into the
smoking-room, where most of the men by that
time were. In the meantime, however, it had
become known in some way throughout the car
who I was. When I went into the smoking-room
nearly every man came up and introduced him-
self to me and thanked me earnestly for the work
that I was trying to do for the whole South.

 

 

 

Phelps Hall. Press Platform. Pres. McKinley. Mr. Washington’s Cottage.
Reviewing Platform.

BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF CROWDS AND REVIEWING STAND AT TUSKEGEE, DECEMBER, 1898. WHEN PRES
MCKINLEY AND PARTY VISITED THE INSTITUTE.

 

Gov. Johnston, Pres McKinley, Principal Washington,
In Reviewing Stand.

WAITING FOR THE PROCESSION TO PASS AT THE TIME OF PRESIDENT MCKINLEY’S VISIT TO TUSKEGEE,
DECEMBER 16, 1898

CHAPTER XVI.

THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT WM. MCKINLEY TO TUS-
KEGEE.

Soon after starting the Tuskegee Institute I
earnestly desired to have the President of the
United States visit it. The chance of securing
such a visit seemed to be so unattainable that
I dared notmention it to my nearest friend; still,
I resolved that such a visit should be made. The
moreIthought of it, the more I became con-
vinced thatthere was but one way to secure the,
attention and the interest of the President of the
United States, and that was by making the
institution so useful to the country that the atten-
tion of the President would necessarily ,be
attracted to it. From the ﬁrst day that the
school was opened, I tried to impress upon teach-
‘ ers and students the fact that by reason of our
former condition ofl'servitude, and prejudice
against our color, we must try to perform every
duty entrusted to us, not only as well, but better
thanany one else, so as to receive proper con-
sideration. T o-day this is the spirit which per-
vades the entire school. We strive to have our
students understand that no possible prejudice
can explain away the inﬂuence of a Negro living

(‘59
16 ‘51

240 A THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

in a nicely painted house, with well-kept ﬂower
yards, gardens, farm, poultry and live stock and
who is at the same time a large tax-payer in his
county.

After nearly eighteen years of work and
struggle, I was more than ever determined to
secure a visit from the highest ofﬁcial of my
country, not only that he and the members of his
cabinet might see what ex-slaves had accom-
plished in the way of building an institution of
learning, but also for the sake of the encourage-
ment that such a recognition from the Nation’s
Chief Executive would give the whole Negro
‘ race in America.

In October, 1898, I saw it mentioned in several
newspapers that President McKinley was likely
to visit the Atlanta Peace Jubilee, in December.
I went at once to Washington, and was not there.
a great while before I found my way to the
White House. There was quite a crowd of peo-
ple in the various reception rooms, many of whom
had been waiting some time for an audience with
the President. The size of the crowd somewhat
discouraged me, and I concluded that my chances
of seeing the President were very slim. I at
once sought the Secretary to the President, Mr.
J. Addison Porter, and very frankly told him my
errand. Mr. Porter kindly sent my card; in to
the President, and in a few minutes Mr.

BOTOKER ’1‘. WASHINGTON. 211

McKinley permitted me to see him. After a
most interesting conversation regarding the con-
dition of the colored people in the South, in
which he manifested his interest in their develop-
ment, the President told me that, in case he saw
his way clear to go to Altanta, in December, he
would try hard to go to Tuskegee, which is a
hundred and forty miles beyond Atlanta. At that
time he did not make his promise ﬁnal, but asked
me to see him later.

By the middle of the following month, the
President had deﬁnitely promised to attend the
Peace jubilee at Atlanta, Ga., December 14 and
15. I went again to see the President. This
time Mr. Charles W. Hare, a white citizen of
Tuskegee, accompanied me, and assisted in show-
ing the President the importance of making such
a visit. While the question was being discussed
with cabinet oﬁicers, one of the oldest and
most inﬂuential White citizens of Atlanta, one who
had been a large slave-holder and Who‘is now an
active Democrat, stepped into the room. The
President asked this gentleman’s opinion of the
wisdom of his making this visit, and, as to his
going one hundred and forty miles out of the way
to visit such an institution. This Atlanta citizen
replied that it was the thing to do. The reply was
made Withoutahesitation. Between my two visits,
that active and most constant friend of the Negro

242 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

race, Dr.J. L. M. Curry, agent of the Peabody
and Slater Funds, hearing of my desire to have
a Visit from the President, made a personal call
upon Mr. McKinley without my knowledge, and
urged him to make the Visit. I will not prolong
the story, except to add that before the day of
my last Visit was over, the President deﬁnently
decided to spend the greater part of the day of
December 16in visiting the Tuskegee Institute. '
In connection with this Visit I had to call upon
the President three or four times at the White
House, and at all times I found him kind, patient
and most cordial, apparently forgetful of the diﬁer-
ences in our history. The time of my last Visit
was but a few days after the election riots of that
year in North and South Carolina,-when the
colored people throughout the country were feel-
ing gloomy and discouraged. I observed by the
tenor of the President’s remarks that he felt
keenly and seriously for the race. N otwithstand-
ing a large number of people were waiting to see
him, he detained me some twenty minutes, dis-
cussing the condition and needs of my race in
the South. When I told him that I thought a
Visit from the President of the United States at'
that time to a Negro institution would do more
than almost anything else to encourage the race
and show the world in what esteem he held the
race, he replied that he was determined to show

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 243

his interest in us by acts rather than by mere
words, and that if I thought his visit to Tuskegee
would permanently help the race and the institu-
tion he would most gladly give up one day of his
administration to visit Tuskegee. 7

The morning of December 16 came, and at
eight o’clock the President, Mrs. McKinley, with
members of his cabinet, their families, besides
several distinguished generals, including General
Shatter, General joseph Wheeler, General Law-._
ton and others, arrived on special trains from
Atlanta. Invitations had been extended to Gov.
Joseph F. Johnston, of Alabama, and his staff, and
they were present. The Alabama Legislature
also was invited, and it adjourned and came to
Tuskegee in a body. In all, more than‘six thou-
sand visitors came. The morningpwas spent in
an inspection of the grounds and in witnessing a
parade of all the work of the school, religious,
academic and industrial, represented on ﬂoats.
' This over, we went to the large chapel, where
the President, members of his cabinet, the Gov-
ernor, and others spoke. A few extracts from
the addresses of the President, Secretary of the
Navy Long, and Postmaster General Smith, in
commendation of Tuskegee’s work, may be of
interest. The President said:

“Teachers and Pupils of Tuskegee: To meet
you under such pleasant auspices and to have the

244 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

opportunity- of a personal observation of your
work is indeed most gratifying. The Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial Institute is ideal in its con-
ception, and has already a large and growing
reputation in the country and is not unknown
abroad. I congratulate all who are associated in
this undertaking for the good work which it is
doing in the education of its students to lead lives
of honor and usefulness, thus exalting the race for
which it was established.

“Nowhere, I think, could a more delightful
location have been chosen for this unique educa-
tional experiment, which has attracted the atten-
tion and won the support even of conservative
philanthropists in all sections of thecountry.

“ To speak of Tuskegee without paying special
tribute to Booker T. Washington’s genius and
perseverance would be impossible. The incep-
tion of this noble enterprise was his, and he
deserves high credit for it. His was the enthu-
siasm and enterprise which made its steady prog~
ress possible and established in the institution its
present high standard of accomplishment. He
has won a worthy reputation as one of the great
leaders of his race, widely known and much
respected at home and abroad as an accomplished
educator, a great orator and a true philanthropist.

“What steady and gratifying advances have
been made here during the past ﬁfteen years a

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 245

personal inspection of the ' material equipment
strikingly proves. The fundamental plan of the
original undertaking has been steadily followed;
but new features have been added; gaps in the
course of instruction have been ﬁlled in; the
patronage and resources have been largely in
creased until even the legislative department of
the State of Alabama recognized the worth of
the work and of the great opportunities here
afforded. From one small frame house the insti-
tution has grown until it includes the ﬁne group
of dormitories, recitation rooms, lecture halls and
work shops which have so surprised and delighted
us today. A thousand students, I am told, are
here cared for by nearly a hundred teachers,
altogether forming with the preparatory depart-
ment a symmetrical scholastic community which
has been well called a model for the industrial
colored schools of the South. Certain it is that a
pupil bent on ﬁtting himself or herself for
mechanical work can have the widest choice of
useful and domestic occupations.

“One thing I like about this institution is that
its policy has been generous and progressive; it
has not been so self-centered or interested in its
own pursuits and ambitions as to ignore what is
going on in the rest of the country or make it
diﬂicult for outsiders to share the local advan-
tages. Iallude especially to the spirit in which

246 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

7 the annual conferences have been held by leading
colored citizens and educators, with the intention
of improvingrthe condition of their less fortunate
brothers and sisters. Here, we can see, is an im-
mense ﬁeld and one which cannot too soon or too
carefully be utilized.~ The conferences have
grown in popularity, and are well calculated not
only to encourage colored men and colored
women in their individual efforts, but to cultivate
and promote an amicable relationship between
the two races—a problem whose solution was
never more needed than at the present time.
Patience, moderation, Self-control, knowledge,
character, will surely Win you victories and realize
‘ the best aspirations of your people. An evidence
of the soundness of the purpose of this institution
is that those in charge of its management
evidently do not believe in attempting the unat-
tainable, and their instruction in self-reliance and
practical industry is most valuable.

“In the day and night schools many branches
can be taught at a small expense, which will give
the men and the women who have mastered them
immediate employment and secure their success
afterwards, provided they abide by the principles
of industry, morality and religion here inculcated.
In common with the Hampton Institute, in Vir-
ginia, the Tuskegee Institute has been and is
today of inestimable value in sowing the seeds of

‘

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 247

good citizenship. Institutions of their standing
and worthy patronage from a steadier and more
powerful agency for the good of all concerned'
than any yet proposed or suggested. The prac-~
tical is here associated with the academic, which
encourages both learning and industry. Here
you learn to master yourselves, ﬁnd the best
adaptation of your faculties, with advantages for
advanced learning to meet the high duties of life.
No country, epoch or race has a monopoly upon
knowledge. Some have easier but not necessarily
better opportunities for self-development. What
a few can obtain free most have to pay for, per-
haps by hard physical labor, mental struggle and
self-denial. But in this great country all can have
the opportunity for bettering themselves, provided
they exercise intelligence and perseverance, and
their motives and conduct, are worthy. Nowhere
are such facilities for universal education found as
in the United States. They are accessible to every
boy and girl, white and black.

‘ “Integrity and industry are the best possessions
which any man can have, and every man can have
them. Nobody can give them to him or take
them from him. He cannot acquire them by in-
heritance; he cannot buy them or beg them or
borrow them. They belong to the individual and
are his unquestioned property. He alone can
part with them. They are a good thing to have

248 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

and keep. They make happy homes; they achieve
success in every walk of life; they have won the
greatest triumphs for mankind. No man who has
them ever gets into the police court or before the
grand jury min the workhouse or the chain gang.
They give one moral and material power. They
will bring you a comfortable living, make you
respect yourself and command the respect of your ,
fellows. They are indispensable to success. They
are invincible. The merchant requires the clerk
Whom he employs to have them. The railroad
corporation inquires whether the man seeking
employment possesses them. Every avenue of
human endeavor welcomes them. They are the
p only keys to open with certainty the door of op-
portunity to struggling manhood. Employment
waits on them; capital requires them. Citizen-
ship is .not good without them. If you do not
already have them, get them.

“To the pupils here assembled I extend my
especial congratulations that the facilities for ad-
vancing afforded to them are so numerous and so
inviting. Those who are here for the time being
have the reputation of the institution in charge
and should, therefore, be all the more] careful to
guard it worthily. Others who have gone before
you have made great sacriﬁces to reach the pres-
ent results. What you do will affect not only
those who come after you here, but many men

BOOKER 1‘. WASHINGTON. 249

and women whom you may never meet. The
results of your training and work here will event-
ually be felt, either directly or indirectly, in
nearly every part of the country.

“Most of you are young, and youth is the time
best ﬁtted for development both of the body and
mind. Whatever you do, do with all your might,
with will and purpose, not of the selﬁsh kind,
but looking to beneﬁt your race and your country.
In comparing the past with the present you should
be especially grateful that it has been your good
fortune to come within the inﬂuences of such an
institution as that of Tuskegee and that you are
under the guidance of such a strong leader. I
thank him most cordially for the pleasure of Visit-
ing this institution, and I bring to all here asso-
ciated my good will and the best wishes of your
countrymen, wishing you the realization of suc-
cess in whatever undertakings that may hereafter
engage you.”

Secretary Long'said:
“Mr. Presz'dem‘ and Sz‘udem‘s:

“I cannot make a speech to you to-day. My
heart is too full, full of hope, admiration and pride
for my countrymen of both sections and both
colors. I am ﬁlled with gratitude and admiration
for your work, and from this time forward, I
shall have absolute conﬁdence in your progress

250 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

and in the solution of the problem in which you
' are engaged. ‘

“The problem, I say, has been solved. A
picture has been presented to- -day which should
be put upon canvas with the pictures of Wash-
ington and Lincoln, and transmitted to future
time and generations; a picture which the press
of the country should spread broadcast over the
land, a most dramatic picture, and that picture
is this: The President of the United States
standing on this platform; on one side, the Gov-
ernor of Alabama, on the other, completing the
trinity, a representative of a race only a few
years ago in bondage, the colored president of
the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute.

.“God bless the President under whose majesty
such "a scene as that is presented to the American
people. God bless the State of Alabama Which
is showing that it can deal with this problem for
itself. God bless the orator, philanthropist and
disciple of the Great Master,——who if he were on
earth would be doing the same work ,-—-Booker
T. Washington. ”

Postmaster General Smith closed as follows:

“We have witnessed many spectacles Within
the last few days. We have seen the magniﬁcent '
grandeur and the magniﬁcent achievements of one
of the great metropolitan cities of the South. We
have. seen heroes of the war pass by in procession.‘

 

 

MATHEMATICAL FLOAT, PRESIDENT’S VISIT, DECEMBER 16, 1898. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL
INSTITUTE.

 

 

STUDENT CARPENTERS AT WORK ON TRADES BUILDING.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 251

We have seen ﬂoral parades. But I am sure my
colleagues will agree with me in saying that we
have witnessed no .spectacle more impressive and
more encouraging, more inspiring for our future
than that which we have witnessed here this
morning. ’

“I have thought as I sat here this morning of
two men, two great men, two great educators.
One of them was the founder and creator of the
Hampton Institute, in Virginia, and the other is
the real creator and founder and pre-eminent head
of this great industrial institution of the South.
General Armstrong did a work which cannot be
measured by the breadth of his philanthropy, the
greatness of his unselﬁshness and the extent of
his power in educating a people. We have for
years mourned his lamented death. His memory
will be preserved among that of the great bene-
factors of our people and our government. In the
future, though long may that time be distant so
far as relates to the head of this institution, in
the distant future, we shall be ready to erect in
the capitol of the nation, among the heroes of our
country, among those who have contributed to its
upbuilding and to its salvation, we shall be readv
to erecta monument to these two great ph: lax:
thropists and leaders of this people, General Arm
strong and Booker T. Washington.”

I cannot close this chapter without adding a

252 THE STORY OF MY LIFE'AND WORK,

reference to the great pleasure and satisfaction
given by the part the white and colored citizens
of the town of Tuskegee took in this recognition
of the school. A few years before this I had gone
to Tuskegee unknown and entirely without means,
but no white people, in any part of America,
could have acted more cordially and co-operated
more heartily with our school than did the white
people of Tuskegee upon this occasion. They
organized various committees, Composed of both
men and women, to help us in giving the President
the proper reception. The town, from one end
to the other, was decorated with the National
colors, to say nothing of many beautiful arches
and other forms of decorations. One of the many
newspaper correspondents who’accompanied the
President remarked to me that he had never seen
in any town of the size such generous and appro-
priate decorations. ‘-

What the President and his party thought of
this visit to the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial
Institute can be best told by the following letter,
received from the Secretary to the President: ‘

“EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 1899.

“DEAR SIRz—By this mail Itake pleasure in
sending you engrossed copies of the souvenir of
the Visit of the President to your institution.

BOOKER 'T. WASHINGTON. 253

These sheets bear the'autographs of the Presi~
dent and the members of the Cabinet who ac-
companied him on the trip. Let me take this
opportunity of congratulating you most heartily
and sincerely upon the great success of the exer-
cises provided for and entertainment furnished us
under your auspices during our visit to Tuskegee.
Every feature of the program was perfectly exe-
cuted and was viewed or participated in with the
. heartiest satisfaction by every visitor present.
The unique exhibition which you gave of your
pupils engaged in their industrial vocations was
not only artistic but thoroughly impressive. The
tribute paid by the President and his Cabinet to
your work was none too high and forms a most
encouraging augury, I think, for the future pros-
perity of your institution. I cannot close without
assuring you that the modesty shown by yourself
in the exercises was most favorably commented
upon by all the members of our party. .

“With best wishes for the continued advance
of your, most useful and patriotic undertaking,
kind personal regards, and the compliments of
the season, believe me, always,

Very sincerely yours,
JOHN ADDISON PORTER,
Secretary to the President.”
“To Pres. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,
Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute,
Tuskegee, Ala.ff

254 “ THE STORY or \MY LIFE AND WORK,

The impression which this visit of the Presi-
dent, Members of his Cabinet, and other dis-
tinguished Visitors made upon the teachers and
students of the Tuskegee Institute, cannot be
overestimated. It‘ inspired the teachers and
students with new life and hope, notvonly in the
work of the present, but in that of the future. It
did more. It inspired the older members of
the community, black ‘and White, with new and
higher purposes in the hard battle of life. It
made us all feel, as we had never felt before, that
we were in a higher and nobler sense citizens of
_ the great Republic, and that the President of'
the United States was our President, “in sober-
ness and truth,” as much as he was of the peo-
ple of larger and more pretentious communities
than ours.

 

 

 

 
 

BLACKSMITH SHOP.

 

BUILT BY STUDE TS.

 

 

AGRICULTURAL BUILDIIVG. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE. 7.

 

' CHAPTER XVII.
THE TUSKEGE-E NEGRO CONFERENCE.

Tuesday, February 23,» 1892, was a day meme
orable in the lives and fortunes of the great bulk
of the Negro population in the “Black Belt” of the
South. This day saw the beginning of a strange
and altogether new movement in which the Negro
was called upon to participate. ,

From the time I ﬁrst began working at Tuske-
gee,I began to study closely not only the young
people,but the condition, the weak points and the
strong points, of the older people.» I was very
often surprised to see how much common sense
and wisdom these older people possessed, notwith-
standing they were wholly ignorant as far as the
letter of the book was concerned. I

About the ﬁrst of January, 1892, I sent out invi-
tations to about seventy-ﬁve of the common, hard-
working farmers, as well as to mechanics, min-
isters and teachers, asking them to assemble at
Tuskegee on the 2 3dof February and spend the
day in talking over their present condition, their
helps and their hindrances, and to see if it were pos-
sible to suggest any means by which the rank and

ﬁle of the people might be able to beneﬁt themselves.

255

256 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

I quote a portion of the printed invitation which
was sent out to those invited to attend the Con-
ference:

“In the Conference, two ends will be kept in
View: First, to ﬁnd out the actual industrial,
moral and educational condition of the masses.
Second, to get as much light as possible on what
is the most effective way for the young men and
women whom the Tuskegee Institute and other
institutions are educating, to use their education
in helping the masses of the colored people to lift
themselves up. '

“In this connection, it may be said that, in gen-
eral, a very large majority of the colored people
in the Black Belt cotton district are in debt for
supplies secured through the ‘mortgage System,’
rent the land on which they live, and dwell in one-
room log cabins. The schools are in sessionin the
country districts not often longer than three months,
and are taught in most cases in churches or log

cabins with almost no apparatus or school furniture.
' “The poverty and ignorance of the Negro,
which show themselves by his being compelled to
‘mortgage his crop,’ go in debt for the food and
clothes on which to live from day to day, are not
only a terrible drawback to the Negro himself
but a severe drain on the resources of the white
man. Say what we Will, the fact remains, that in
the presence of the poverty and ignorance of the

BOOKER‘ T. WASHINGTON. 257

. millions of Negroes in the Black Belt, the material,
,, moral and educational interests of both races are
making but slow headway.” »

In answer to this invitation we were surprised to
ﬁnd that nearly four hundred men and women of
all kinds and conditions came. 'In my opening
address I impressed upon them the fact that we
wanted to spend the ﬁrst part of the day in hav-'
ing them state plainly and simply just what their
conditions were. I told them that we wanted no
exaggeration, and‘did not want any cut-and-dried
or prepared speeches, we simply wanted each
person to speak in a plain, simple manner, very
much as he would if he were about his own ﬁre-
side, speaking to the members of his own family.
Ialso insisted that we conﬁne our discussionto
such matters as we ourselves could remedy, rather
than in spending the time in complaining or fault-
ﬁnding about thbse things which we could not
directly reach. At the ﬁrst meeting of this Negro
Conference/we also adopted the plan of having
these common people themselves speak, and re-
fused to allow people who were far above them
in education and surroundings take up the time
in merely giving advice to these representatives
of the masses.

Very early in the history of these Conferences
I found that it meant a great deal more to the
people to have one individual who had succeeded

258 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

in getting out of debt, ceasing to mortgage his
crop, and who had bought a home and was
living well, occupy the time in telling the remain-
der of his fellows how he had succeeded, than in
having some one who was entirely out .of the
atmosphere of the average farmer occupy the
time in merely lecturing to them.

In the morning of the ﬁrst day of the Confer.
ence we had as many representatives from various
parts as we had time in which to tell of the in-
dustrial condition existing in their immediate
community. We did not let them generalize or
tell what they thought ought to be or was, exist-
ing in somebody’s else community, we held each
person down to a statement of the facts regarding
his own individual community. For example, we
~ had them state What proportion of the people in
their community owned land, what proportion
lived in one-room cabins, how many were in debt,
the number that mortgaged their crops, and
what rate of interest they were paying on their
indebtedness. Under this head we also discussed
the number of acres of land that each individual
was cultivating,and whether or not the crop was
diversiﬁed or merely conﬁned to the growing of
cotton. We also got hold of facts from the repre-
sentatives of these people concerning their educa-
tional progress; that is, we had them state whether ‘
or not 'a school-house existed, what kind of teacher

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 259

they had and what proportion of the children Were
attending school. We did not stop with these mat-
ters; we took up the moral and religious condi-
tion of the communities; had them state to what
extent,'for example, people had been sent to jail
from their communities; how many were habitual
drinkers; what kind of minister they had; whether
or not he was able to lead the people in morality
as well as in spiritual affairs.

After we had got hold of facts, which enabled
us to judge of the actual state of affairs existing,
we spent the afternoon of the ﬁrst day in hearing
from the lips of these same people in what way, in
their opinion, the present condition of things could
be improved, and it was most interesting as well as
surprising to see how clearly these people saw
into their present condition, and how intelligently ‘
they discussed their weak points as well their
strong points. It Was generally agreed that the
mortgage system, the habit of buying on credit
and paying'large rates of interest, was at the'bot-
tom of much of the evil existing among the people,
and the fact that so large a proportion of them
live/on rented land also had much to do with
keeping them down. The condition of the schools
was discussed with equal frankness, and means
were suggested for prolonging the school term
and building school-houses. Almost without ex-
ception they agreed that the fact that so large a

260 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

proportion of the pe0p1e live in one-room cabins,
where there was almost no opportunity for privacy
or seperation of the sexes, Was largely responsible
for the bad moral condition of many communities.

When I asked how many in the audience owned
their homes, only twenty-three hands went up.

Aside from the colored people who were pres-
ent at the Conference who reside in the “Black
Belt,” there were many prominent white and
colored men from various parts of the country,
especially representatives of the various religious
organizations engaged in educational work in the
South, and ofﬁcers and teachers from several of
the larger institutions working in the South.
There were correspondents present representing
such papers as the New York Independent, Even-
ing Post, New York Weekly Witness, New
York Tribune, Christian Union, Boston Even-
ing Transcript, Christian Register, The. Congre-
gationalist, Chicago Inter-Ocean, Chicago. Ad-
vance, and many others.

At the conclusion of the ﬁrst _Conference the
following set of declarations was adopted as show-
ing the concensus of opinion of those composing
the Conference: ‘

“We, some of the representatives of the colored
people, living in the Black Belt, the heart of the
South, thinking" it might prove of interest and
value to our friends throughout the country, as

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. p 261

well as beneﬁcial to ourselves, have met together
in Conference to present facts and express
opinions as to our industrial, moral and educa-
tional condition, and to exchange views as to how
our own efforts and the kindly helpfulness of our
friends may best contribute to our elevation.

“First. Set at liberty with no inheritance but

our bodies, without training in self-dependence,
and thrown at once into commercial, civil‘and
political relations with our former owners, we
consider it a matter of great thankfulness that our
condition is as good as it is, and that so large a
degree of harmony exists between us and our
white neighbors.
.. “Second. Industrially considered, most of our
people are dependent upon agriculture. The ma-
jority of them live on rented lands, mortgage'their
crops for the food on which to live from‘year to
year, and usually at the beginning of each year
are more or less in debt for the supplies of the
previous year. 7’

“Third. Not only is our own material progress
hindered by the mortgage system, but also that
of our white friends. It is a system that tempts
us to buy much that we would do without if cash
was required, and it tends to lead those who
advance the provisions and lend the money, to
eXtravagant prices and ruinous rates of interest.

“Fourth. In a moral and religious sense, while

262 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK;

we admit there is much laxness in morals and
superstition in religion, yet we feel that much
progress has been made, that there is a growing
public sentiment in favor of purity, and that the
' people are fast coming to make their religion less
of superstition and emotion and more a matter
of daily living.

“Fifth. As to our educational condition, it is to
be noted that our country Schools are in session
on an average only three and a half months each
year; the Gulf States are as yet unable to provide
school-houses,and as a result the schools are held
almost out of doors or at best in such rude
quarters as the poverty of the people is able to
provide; the teachers are poorly paid and often.
very poorly ﬁtted for their work, as a result of
which both parents and pupils take but little in-
terest in the schools; often but few children attend,
and these with great irregularity.

“Sixth. T hat 1n View of our general condition,
we would suggest the following remedies: (I )
That as far as possible we aim to raise at home
our own meat and bread; (2) that as fast as pos-
sible we buy land, even though, a very few acres
at a time; (3) that a larger number of our young
people be taught trades, and that they be urged
to prepare themselves to enter as largely as pos-
sible all the various avocations of life; (4) that
we especially try to broaden the ﬁeld of labor for

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 263

our women; (5) that we make every sacriﬁce and
practice every form of economy that we may
purchase land and‘free ourselves from our bur-
densome habit of living in debt; (6) that we urge
our ministers and teachers to give more attention
to» the material condition and home life of the
people; (7) that we urge that our people do not
depend entirely upon the State to provide school-
houses and lengthen the time of the schools, but
that they take hold of the matter themselves Where
the State leaves off, and by supplementing the
public funds from their own pockets and by build
ing school-houses, bring about the desired results;
(8) that we urge patrons to give earnest attention
to the mental and moral ﬁtness of those who
teach their schools; (9) that we urge the doing
away with all sectarian prejudice in the manage-
ment of the schools. ’

“Seventh. As the judgment of this Conference
we would further declare: That we put on record
our deep sense of gratitude to the good people of
all sections for their assistance, and that we are
glad to recognize a growing interest on! the part
of the best white people of the South in the edu-
cation of the Negro.

“Eighth. That we appreciate the spirit of
friendliness and fairness shown us by the Southern
white people in matters of business in all lines of
material development.

264_ ’THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

“Ninth. That we believe our generous friends
of the country, can best aid, in our elevation by
continuing to give their help where it will result
in producing strong Christian leaders who will
live among the masses as object lessons, “show-
ing them how to direct their own efforts towards
the general uplifting of the people.

“Tenth. ' That we believe we can become pros-
perous, intelligent and independent where we are,
and discourage any efforts 'at wholesale emigra-
tion, recognizing that our home is to be in the
'South, and we urge that all strive in every way
to cultivatethe good feeling and friendship of
those about us in all that relates to our: mutual
elevation.” '

At the present writing eight of these Confer-
ences have been held. I shall not occupy space
in describing in detail each one of these annual
Conferences except to say that each Conference
has grown in numbers, interest and value to the
people. Very often as many as two thousand
representatives assemble at these meetings, which
, are usually held in the latter part of February.
Representatives now come from not only almost all
parts of Alabama, but from practically all of the
Southern States. Similar Conferences have also
been organized in other states, notably Texas,
South Carolina and North Carolina. Aside from
these state Conferences, local Conferences which

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 265

7 meet as a rule monthly and bring tOgether the
7people in each community or county are now in
existence in many parts of the South, and the
people ﬁnd these meetings a great means of help-
ing themselves forward. One of our teachers ‘at
the present time gives the greater part of the A
year to the work of organizing and stimulating
these local Conferences in various parts of the
South. The people look forward eagerly each
year to the assembling of the large or central
Negro Conference at Tuskegee,and they are always
anxious to give their reports. The spirit of hope-
fulness and encouragement which now character-
izes these Conferences, as compared with the
rather depressed and hopeless feeling existing
when the first one met, is most interesting. At the
sessions of the Conference held inrecent years
many communities have been able to report that
the people are ceasingto mortgage their crops, are
buying land, building houses with two or three
rooms, that their school terms in many cases haVe
been extended from three to six and eight months,
and that the moral atmosphere of the community
has been—cleansed and improved. These Confer-
ences have served to make the people aware of
their own inherent strength; to let them feel and
understand how much they can do toward im-
proving their own condition when once they make

266 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

up theirminds to make the effort. The results
from every point of View are most gratifying.

In orderto shOw something of the spirit and in-
terest that characterize these gatherings, I give
verbatim extracts from a few addresses delivered
at a recent Conference by some of these Black Belt
Negroes. “This Conference is doing untold good,”
said a very intelligent farmer and preacher of
about ﬁfty years of age, who has attended all the
Conferences. “Since I went back home from the
ﬁrst one and told the people about it, they have
gone to work and bought over two thousand acres
of land. Much of it has already been paid for.
Ithank God on my knees for these Conferences.
They are giving us homes.” Another man who
could not come himself to a recent Conference
sent a letter saying that seven of his neighbors
had bought themselves homes. One woman re-
ported that she had raised four hundred pounds of
pork,and had also raised corn enough to enable
her tolive without mortgaging her crop. Over
one hundred in all reported that they had paid for
homes. Another man said, “We are not what
we ought to be, we are sadly lacking,but we are
one hundred per cent. better than we were twenty
years ago,and we are going to be better than we
are.” Another remarked with a great deal of
emphasis, “It makes a man more truthful when
he owns land, and‘I know when he gives his word

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 267

he cannot run away. To own property is. to own
character.” Another farmer from Macon County
said: “The nigger race ain’t such a bugaboo as
you think. The trouble with our people is we
don’t understand ourselves; we don’t have self-
reliance and self-government. Eight years ago
Ididn’t have even a meat skin, now I have got
eighty acres of land and ﬁve mules, all paid for.
You must be a man. Say sink or swim, I’m
coming on top ;, if you don’t you won’t amount to
anything. Some of our race is so shiftless that if
their own mother should rise from the grave after
twenty years, and come into the house and say,
‘Son, give me a cup of coffee, I’ve been walking
all night,’ he couldn’t do it. You make a mort-
gage,and then you get everything you want, not
everything you need. I had a start once before,
and I got acouple of old horses and a buggy,and
I rid around too much and I got down. Then I
promised the Lord if he would forgive me and
help me to start again I would do better. N ow
Iwork from Monday to Saturday. A heap of
our peOple don’t like that part of the Bible which
says ‘six days thou shalt work.’ When a colored
man dies the merchant makes more than on any
other day, because you have all got to dress up,
hire buggies, and ride around and go to the
funeral. I don’t want anybody’sfoot on my neck.
I don’t go and say, ‘Mas’r Joe, please sir, I wants

268 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

a little ﬂour or I wants a little coffee for my old
lady,’ but when I want anything I just go and get
it. You must not sit down and trust God; if you
do you’ll starve. Get up and go to work, and
trust God,and you’ll get rich.”

Then Father Mitchell, who is a colored minister,
, said: “Now, keep quiet; we’s gettin’ along slowly.
I wish our neighborhood was like dat brother’s as
jest spoke. You give me a good lick for a young
man, Mr. President; but, Sir, if we had twenty
men like you we’d get happy ’fore we enter
heaven. We make a heap of corn and potatoes.”
“How about morals?” asked some one. “Well,
now, I’ll tell you about dat. I’d thank my Re-
deemer to send me some morals down to my
neighborhood. I am putting up a big Baptist
Church down on the Sam road, an’ I hope I’ll be
able to do my people some good.”

At the time of the organization of the Annual
Negro Farmers’ Conference, it was decided to
make a special effort to secure the attendance .
of the representatives of the various educa- .
tional, religious and philanthropic institutions
in the South for the elevation of the Negro.
\This attempt was quite successful, so much so
that in addition to the regular delegates at the
Negro Conference, quite a large number of edu-
cators and others'began assembling to witness
the proceedings of that body. During the session A

L“.

BOOKER T. ‘WASHINGTON. ' 269

of the Conference it was determined to organize
what is known as the “Worker’s Conference,” com-
‘ posed of educators and other persons interested
in the elevation of the Negro. It was decided to
ask the members of the VVorker’s Conference to
be present and witness the proceedings of the reg-
ular Negro Conference, in order that they might
get information at ﬁrst hand as to the condition
and needs of the colored people. The following
day the Worker’s Conference was called, and
based its proceedings in a large measure upon the
lessons learned the previous day at the Farmers’
Conference. The Worker’s Conference has now
been in existence many years, and is a very im-
portant and far-reaching institution; in fact, it is
the only organization that brings together annually
the various officers and teachers connected with
the large religious and educational enterprises in
the South. We have had regularly present at the
Worker’s Conference representatives from such
institutions as the Hampton Institute, Atlanta
University, Clark University, Atlanta Baptist
College, Gammon Theological Seminary, Spelman
Seminary, Morris Brown College, Fisk Univer- '
‘sity, Central Tennessee College, Straight Uni-
versity, Talladega College, Tougaloo University,
Lincoln University, Selma University, and many
others which I have not space to mention; in fact,
I think every educationalinstitution of any im»

210 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

portance for the Negro has been represented at
one Or more of these Worker’s Conferences. Be-
sides these, we often have present the secretaries
of the various religious organizations doing work
in the South.

The subjects discussed in these Worker’s Con-
ferences are of a wide range. At the last Confer-
ence the time was occupied in a discussion of how
the various educational institutions in the South
could serve to bring about more satisfactory re-
lationsbetween the two races in the South. The
discussion was free, open and most helpful. In
fact, it is well understood that in all of these
gatherings at Tuskegee there is the utmost frank-
ness and liberality allowed as to opinion and dis-
cussion. ' The Worker’s Conferences are growing
in numbers and interest,and have now become a
permanent part of the educational machinery of
the South.

 

 

BEE CULTURE AT TUSKEGEE.

 

DRESSMAKING AT TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

CHAPTER XVIII.

A VACATION IN EUROPE.

In the spring of 1899 a rather notable meeting
was held in Boston, in the afternoon, at the Hollis
Street Theatre. This meeting was gotten‘up in
the interest of the Tuskegee Institute, by friends
\of the institution, in Boston for the purpose of
raising money for the school. It was presided
over by Bishop Lawrence, Bishop of Massachu-
setts. I invited to speak with me at this meeting
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois and Mr. Paul Laurence
Dunbar. Dr. DuBois read an original story,and
Mr. Dunbar recited from his own poems. The
theatre was. ﬁlled with representatives of the most
cultured and wealthy men and women in Boston,
and was said to be the most successful meeting of
the kind that had been held for a good while. An
admission was charged» at the door, and a gener-
ous sum was raised for the schOol. This was the
ﬁrst time that Mr. Dunbar had appeared in Bos-
ton,and his readings produced a most favorable
effect. ,The same was true of Dr. DuBois.

During this same year I received an invitation .
which surprised me somewhat. It was an invita-
tion from the secretary of the Birmingham, Ala-
bama, Lyceum, a White literary organization,

18 271

272 THE STORY OF‘ MY/LIFE AND WORK,.

composed of the best and most cultured people in
the city of Birmingham, Alabama, inviting me to
address the Lyceum. I accepted this invitation
to deliver an address before the organization on
the 30th of March. There was some adverse
criticism and some protests through the news-
papers, and otherwise, on the part of a certain
element of white people in Birmingham; in fact,
some effort was made to prevent white ladies
from attending, but I was surprised and gratiﬁed
when I appeared before the audience to ﬁnd the
room ﬁlled with representatives of the best ladies
and gentlemen of Birmingham, and I have never
spoken before any organization where my words
Jere more heartily and more kindly received than
was true on this occasion. This was the ﬁrst
time that I had ever received an invitation to
address a white literary organization in the
South, although during the winter of the same
year I had delivered an address before the N a-
tional Farmers’ Association, which met at Fort
Worth, Texas.

Immediately after the public meeting held in
Boston in the‘Hollis Street Theatre, some friends
of mine in Boston noted that I seemed to be rather
worn out, as a result of nearly eighteen years of
continuous work, without any vacation during
the entire time. Without our knowledge, they

ROCKER T. WASHINGTON. 2'78

quietly started a movement to raise a certain sum
of money to be used in sending Mrs. Washington
and myself to Europe, where we could rest for
two or three months. This plan was a very great
surprise to us, and it seemed difﬁcult for us to
make up our minds to leave the school for so long
a time; but these friends insisted that we owed it
to the work and to ourselves to take the vacation.
The result was that we sailed for Europe on the
10th of May andremained abroad until the 5th
of August. We had a very pleasant and delight-
ful trip across the ocean,and made many friends
on the voyage. I was called upon to speak on
the steamer going and had a large and interest-
7 ing audience. After a voyage of ten days we
landed at Antwerp, Belgium, and remained there
a short time. We then took a trip through the
country in company with some New York friends
whose acquaintance we made on the voyage. In
Holland we traveled on the canal boats, which
gave us an opportunity of seeing the home life of
the country people, and also the agricultural life
of the country.

I was especially anxious to study the agri.
cultural and dairy systems, with a View to
utilizing the information in our work at Tuskegee.
The thorough cultivation of the soil, for which
this country is noted, made a deep impression

_ 274 THE STORY on MY LIFE AND WORK,

upon me. There are few other countries, if any,
in the world, where the soil is so thoroughly cul-
tivated as in Holland. The dairy interests there
present an interesting and valuable ﬁeld for study. _
While in Holland we visited The Hague, where
the International Peace Congress was in session,
and were shown many courtesies by the Ameri-
can members of the Peace Conference. After
remaining for some time in Holland,we returned
to Antwerp and spent some time there, and after-
wards proceeded to Brussels, where we had a
pleasant stay. From Brussels we went to Paris,
where we remained nearly six weeks. In Paris '
we received much kind attention from General
Horace Porter, the American Ambassador, and
his wife, as well as from other American and
French people. Soon after reaching Paris I
received an invitation to deliver an address before
the American University Club, an organization
composed mainly of American college men resid-
ing in Paris. The American Ambassador, Gen.
Horace Porter, presided at this meeting, and in ,
addition to myself the speakers were EX-president
Benjamin Harrison and Archbishop Ireland. I
was also invited to deliver an address the follow-i
ing Sunday in the American chapel, which I did.
Mrs. Washington and I attended a reception
given by the American Ambassador, where we
met many prominent people. .

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 275

. I went to EurOpe mainly for the purpose of se-
curing complete rest, and notwithstanding the
many engagements which constantly pressed
themselves upon me, I succeeded in getting a
great deal of needed strength, especially was this
true in Paris. From Paris we went to London,
and arrived there just in the midst of the social
season. We had many letters of introduction
from friends in America to inﬂuential people in
England, and our stay in England was occupied»
mainly in a continual round of soCial engagements.

Soon after reaching London, friends insisted
. that I should deliver an address to the public on
the race problem in the South. The American
Ambassador, Hon. joseph H. Choate, was espe-
cially anxious that I consent to do this. A meet-
ing was arranged to take place in Essex Hall.
In connection with this meeting Rev. Brooke
Herford, D. D., whom I had formerly known in
Boston, gave Mrs. Washington and myself a
reception. The meeting was largely attended,
and Mr. Choate, the American Ambassador, pre-
sided. The substance of what Mr. Choate and
myself said at this meeting was widely circulated
in England, and telegraphedto the American
press. This meeting-was attended by such well-
known people as Hon. James Bryce, who also
spoke, and many high ofﬁcials and members of
titled families in England. After this meeting I

276 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

received many invitations to speak at other
gatherings, but as far as possible excused myself
from doing so, in order that I might secure the
rest for which I went to Europe. Idid, however,
consent to speak at a meeting at the Crystal Pal-
ace, which was presided over by the Duke of
Westminster, said to be the richest man in the
world. This meeting was also largely attended.
We attended, among many other social functions,
receptions given by the Duke and Duchess of
Sutherland, by Mr. and Mrs. T. Fischer Unwin,
Mrs. Unwin being the daughter of the late
Richard Cobden. Lady Henry Somerset was
very kind in her attention to us.

While in London the following editorial arr
peared in the Daily Chronicle:

“The presence in London of Mr. Booker T.
Washington, at whose address the other evening
the American Ambassador presided, calls for
a generous recognition of the remarkable work
being done in the United States for the Negro
by this gifted member of the Negro race. What
Frederick Douglass was to an older generation
that Mr. Washington is to the present. At the
recent visit of President McKinley to the South,
Mr. Washington occupied a place of honor along-
side the President, and was almost as heartily ‘
acclaimed. When one recalls the tremendous
‘ color ’ feeling in America, such a fact is exceed-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 277

ingly striking. The great work which Mr.
Washington has done has been an educational
work. Orator as he is, it is not so much his
power of speech as the building up of the remark-
able industrial institute at Tuskegee, in Alabama,
which has given this Negro leader his deserved
fame. The Civil War left the Negro legally and
nominally free, and the legislation after the war
was over made him legally and nominally a citi-
zen. But we know that the Negro has been in
fact in a very different position from that which
he occupied on paper. He has been insulted by
degrading legislation,” he has been in many states
virtually deprived of his vote, and in not a few
cases an election dispute has afforded the domi-
nant white man an excuse for slaughter of the
blacks. The Negro has retaliated in his bar-
barous way. Though religious in the most
emotional form, he is often non moral, and there
can be no doubt that he has committed many
grave offenses against social order.

“Mr. Washington, though an enthusiastic
advocate of the claims of his race, is by no means
blind to the faults which render so many Negroes
almost unﬁt for American citizenship. He saw
long ago, what so many American politicians
who gave the suffrage to the colored population
did not see—that the most important service
which could be rendered to the blacks was to

278 ‘THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

make useful artisans and workmenof them. As
a result of his meditation on the condition'of the
colored people, Mr. Washington founded the
Tuskegee Institute in the Black Belt of Ala-
bama, stumped the Union for funds, interested in
his great undertaking all the best minds of the
Northern States, and has had the satisfaction of
"seeing this institution grow to its present status
of the largest and most important training centre
of the black race in the world. Here, where
both sexes are welcomed on terms of equality,
the Negro is taken in hand, given the rudiments '
of education, taught a useful trade, taught also,
if he proves capable, the higher branches of
modern culture, subjected to high intellectual and
ethical inﬂuences, and made a man of in the true
sense of the word. N 0 better work is being done
in America at the present hour than in this
remarkable institution in Alabama.

“That the American conscience is being roused
to its duty to the Negroes is evident from the
recent important conference at which'two lead-
ing speakers were an ex-Governor of Georgia
and a Bishop of the Episcopal Church. The
horrible burnings and improvised hangings by
White, mobs, who took the law into their hands,
have awakened the people of the North, and it is
very properly asked whether those who permit
such brutalities in their own borders are ﬁt to

BOOKER ’1‘. WASHINGTON. ‘ , 2'79

assume control of black and yellow races in the
Paciﬁc. Ex-Governor N orthen, of Georgia, took
the North to task for having been more respons-
ible for the spread of slavery than the So'uth,.and
he defended, but without much success, the
Southern whites against the attacks made on
them. The Bishop, it is gratifying to ﬁnd, took
the strong ground of the Declaration of Inde~
pendence, and asserted the equal right of black
and white to the common rights which the law
and the Constitution allow. But the important
principle which emerges clearly from the long
discussion that took place at this conference is
that a Zaz'ssezfaz're policy is impossible in the-case
* of the Negro. .You cannot ‘emancipate’ him
alone. He must be educated, his character must
be formed, he must be made a useful and self.
reliant being. This is precisely what is being
done at the Tuskegee Institute, and therefore, its
founder is solving, as far as. one man can, one of
the chief American problems of the time. And
what a problem! The practical humanising
and elevation from barbarism of dusky millions
on Whose own future the future ofrthe United
States largely depends.” ‘

Perhaps the most interesting and restful part
of our visit to England was the time that we
spent as the guests of various English people in “
their country homes. Ingrder for one to appre:

$0 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ciate what English life really“is,he should have
g an opportunity to get into the daily life of an
English gentleman in his country residence.

We visited Bristol, where we were given a
reception by the Women’s Liberty Club, and also
Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. In
Birmingham we spent several days as the guests
of Mr. Joseph Sturge, who kindly gave us a
reception, at which we met many of the promi-
nent citizens of Birmingham. Of course we
visited a great many places of historical interest,
and had an opportunity of lOoking into the meth-
ods of education in England. We were specially
interested in the work of the large polytechnic
institutes and the agricultural colleges, from which
we got a great deal of valuable information.

While in Europe I wrote a series of letters for
the American Negro press. These letters were
widely published and commented upon.

During our stay in London I took special
pains to inquire into the opportunities for our
people to better their condition by emigrating ,
to Africa, and convinced myself that there
was little, if any, hope of this, largely because
Africa is almost completely divided up among
various European nations, leaving little hope
’for self-government in any part of Africa,
except in the small republic of Liberia, which,
is notably unhealthy and undesirable from almost

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 281

every point of View. I found out that in many
cases the Negroes are treated by Europeans
in Africa almost as badly as they have ‘ever
been treated in the South. The letter which
Iwrote from London on this subject was very
widely copied and ‘ commented upon by the
American press.

While I was in Europe, cases of lynching of
our people were especially frequent in the South,
and in order to assist in checking this injustice
perpetrated upon the race, I addressed the follow-
ing letter to the Southern people, which was
Widely published throughout the country and
seemed to do much good. It was heartily com«
mented upon editorially in the Southern press:

“Several times, during the last few months,
while our country has been shocked because of the
lynching of Negro citizens, I have been asked by
many to say something upon the subject through
the press, and have been tempted to do so.
At the time of these lynchings I kept silent, be-
cause I did not believe that the public mind was
in a condition to listen to a discussion of the sub-
ject in the calm judicial manner that it would be
later, when there should be nolundue feeling or
excitement. In the discussion of this or any other
matter, little good is accomplished unless we are
perfectly frank. There is no White man of the ‘
South who has more sincere love for it thanI

282 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

have, and nothing could. tempt me to write or
speak that which I did not think was for the per-
manent good of all the people of the South.
Whenever' adverse criticism is made upon the
SouthI feel it as keenly as any member of the
white race can feel it. It is, therefore, my inter-
est in everything which pertains to the South
that prompts me to write as I do now.' ,While it
is true that there are cases of lynchings and out-
rage in the Northern and Western States, candor
compels us to admit that by far the most of the
cases of lynchings take place in our Southern
States, and that most of the persons lynched are
Negroes.

“With all the earnestness of my heart, I want
to appeal, not to the President of the United
’States, Mr. McKinley, not to the people of New
York nor of the New England States, but to the
citizens of our Southern States, to assist in creat-
ing a public sentiment such as will make human
life just as safe and sacred here as it is anywhere
else in the world. ' i

“For a number of years the South has appealed
to the North and to Federal authorities, through
the public press, from the public platform, and
most eloquently through the late Henry W.
Grady, to leave the whole matter'of the rights
and protection of the Negro to the South, declar-
ing that it would see to it that the Negro would

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 283

p be made secure in his citizenship. During the

last half dozen years the whole country, from
the President down, has been inclined more than
ever to pursue this policy, leaving the Whole,
matter of the destiny of the Negro to the Negro
himself and to the Southern white people among
whom the great bulk of the Negroes live.

“By the present policy of non~interference, on
the part of the North and the Federal Govern-
ment, the South is given a sacred trust. How
will she execute this, trust? The world is wait-
ing and watching to see. The question must be
answered largely by the protection the South
gives to the life of the Negro, and the provisions
that are made for the development of the Negro
in the organic laws of the state. I fear that but
few people in the South realize to what extent
the habit of lynching, or the taking of life With-
out due process of law, has taken hold of us, and
to what extent it is hurting us, not only in the
eyes of the world, but in our own moral and
material growth. _

“Lynching was instituted some years ago, with
the idea of punishing and checking outrage upon
women. Let us examine the cold facts and size
where it has already led us, and Where it is likely
further to carry us, if we do not rid ourselves of
the habit. Many good people in the South, and
also out of the. south, have gotten the idea

284 . THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

that lynching is resortedto for one crime only.
I have the facts from an authoriative source.
During last year 127 persons were lynched in the
United States. Of this number, 118 were exe-
cuted in the South and 9 in the North and West.
Of the total number lynched, 102 were Negroes,
23 were whites and 2, Indians. Now, let every-
one interested in the South, his country and the
cause of humanity, note this fact—that only 24 of
the entire number were charged in any way with
the crime of rape; that is, 24 out of 127 cases of
lynching. Sixty one of the remaining cases were
for murder, 13 being for suspected murder, 6 for
theft, etc. During one week last spring, when I
kept a careful record, 13 N egroes, were lynched
in three of our Southern States, and not one was
even charged with rape. All of these 13 were
accused of murder or house-burning, but in
none of the cases were the men allowed to go
before a court, so that their innocence or guilt
might be proven. ‘

“When we get to the point where four-ﬁfths of‘
the people lynched in our country in one year are
lynched for some crime other than. rape, we can
no longer plead and explain that we lynch for
one crime alone.

“Let us take another year, that of 1892, for
example.~ During this year (1892) 241 persons
were lynched in the whole United States. Thirty-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 285

six of this number were lynched in Northern and ‘
Western States, and 205 in our Southern States.
Of the 241 lynched in the whole country, 160
were Negroes and ﬁve of these were women. The
facts show that out of the 241 lynched in the
entire country in 1892, but 57 were even charged
with rape, even attempted rape, leaving in that
year alone, I84 persons who were lynched for
other causes than that of rape.

“If it were necessary, I could produce ﬁgures
for other years. Within a period of six years
about 900 persons have been lynched in our
Southern States. This is but a few hundred short
of the total number of soldiers who lost their
lives in Cuba during the Spanish-American war.
If we would realize still more fully how far this
unfortunate habit is leading us on, note the
classes of crime, during a few months, which the
local papers and Associated Press say that lynch-
ing has been inﬂicted for—they include ‘murder,’
‘rioting,’ ‘incendiarism,’ ‘robbery,’ ‘larceny,’ ‘self-
defense,’ ‘insulting women,’ ‘alleged stock poison-
ing,’ ‘malpractice,’~ ‘alleged barn-burning,’ ‘sus-
pected robbery,’ ‘race prejudice,’ ‘attempted mur.
der,’ ‘horse stealing,’ and ‘mistaken identity,’ etc.

“The practice has grown until'we are now at
the point where not only blacks are lynched in
the South, but White men as well. I Not only this,
but within the last six years at, least a half dozen

286 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

colored women have been lynched. And there
are a few cases Where Negroes have lynched
members of their own race. What is to be the
end of this? Besides this, every lynching drives
hundreds of Negroes from the farming districts of
the South, where their services are of great value
to the country, into the already over- -crowded
cities.

‘ “I know that some will argue that the crime
of lynching Negroes is not conﬁned to the South.
This is true, and no one can excuse such a crime
as the shooting of innocent black men in Illinois,
who were guilty of no crime except that of seek
ing labor, but my words just now are to the
South, where my home is,and a part of which I
am. ‘Let other sections act as they will; I want
to see our beautiful Southland free from this terl
rible evil of lynching. Lynching does not stop
crime. In the immediate section of the South
where a colored man recently committed the
most terrible crime ever charged against a mem-
ber of his race, but a few weeks previous to this,
ﬁve colored men had been lynched for supposed
incendiarism. If lynching was a cure for crime,
surely the lynching of ﬁve would have pre-
vented another Negro from committing a most
heinous crime a few weeks later.

' “We might as well face the facts bravely and
wisely. Since the beginning of the world crime

 

TUSKEGEE NEGRO CONFERENCE FEB. 22, ’99. NEGRO FARMERS COMING OUT OF DINING HALL.

 

TAILORING DIVISION, TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. - 287

has been committed in all civilized and uncivilized
countries, and a certain amount of crime will "
always be committed, both in the North and in
the South, but I believe that the crime of rape can
be stopped. In proportion to the numbers and
intelligence of the population of the South, there
exists little more crime than in‘ several other
sections of‘the country, but because of the lynch-
ing habit we are constantly advertising ourselves.
to the world as a lawless people. We cannot
disregard the teachings of the civilized world for
eighteen hundred years, that the only way to
punish crime is by law. When we leave this
dictum chaos begins.

“I am not pleading for the Negro alone.
Lynching injures, hardens and blunts the moral
sensibilities of the young and tender manhood of
the South. Never shall I forget the remark by
a little nine-year-old ”white boy, with blue eyes
and ﬂaxen hair. The little fellow said to 7 his
mother after he had returned from a lynching:
‘I have seen a man hanged; now I wish I could
see one burnedd Rather than hear such a remark
from one of my little boys, I would prefer seeing
him laid in his grave. This is not all; every com-
munity guilty of lynching, says in so many words
to the governor,.., to the legislature, to the
sheriff, to the jury, and to the judge, I have no

faith in you and no respect for you. We haVe
19

288 THE STORY, OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

no respect for the law which we helped to
make. I

“In the South, at the present time, there is less
excuse for not permitting the law to take its
course, where a Negro is to be tried, than any-
where else in the world, for almost without ex-
ception the governors, the sheriffs, the judges,
the juries and the lawyers are all white men, and
they can be trusted,- as a rule, to do their duty;
otherwise it is needless to tax the people to sup-
port these oﬂicers. If our present laws are not
sufﬁcient to properly punish crime, let the laws
be changed, but that the punishment may be by
lawfully constituted authority is the plea I make.
The history of the world proves that where law
is most strictly enforced is the least Crime; where
people take the administration of the law into
their ownhands is the most crime.

“But there is another side. The white man in
the South has not only a serious duty and respon-
sibility, but the Negro has a duty and responsi-
bility in this matter. In speaking of my own
peOple I want to be equally frank, but Ispeak
with the greatest kindness. There is too much
crime among us. The ﬁgures for a given period
show that in the United States 30 per cent. of the
crime committed is by Negroes, while we con-
stitute only about 12 per cent. of the entire popu-
lation. This proportion holds good, not only in

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 289

the South, but also inthe Northern States and
cities.

“No race that is so largely ignorant and so
lately out of slavery could, perhaps, show a better
record, but we must face these plain facts. He
is most kind to the Negro who tells him of his
faults as well as of his virtues. A large amount
of the crime among us grows out of the idleness
of our young men and women. It is for this rea.
son that I have tried to insist upon some industry
being taught in connection with their course of
literary training. The time has come when every
parent, every teacher and minister of the gospel,
should teach with unusual emphasis morality and
obedience to the law. At the ﬁreside, in the
school room, in the Sunday-school, from the pul-
pit and the Negro press, there should be such a
sentiment created regarding the committing of
crime against women, that no such crime shall be
charged against any member of the race. Let it
be understood for all time that no one guilty of
rape can ﬁnd sympathy or shelter with us, and
that none will be mOre active in bringing to jus-
tice, through the proper authorities, those guilty
of crime. Let the criminal and vicious element
of the race have at all times our most severe con-
demnation. Let a strict line be drawn between
the virtuous and the criminal. I condemn with i
all the indignation of my soul the beast in human

290 , THE STORY OF MY‘LIFE AND‘ weRK,

form guilty of assaulting a woman. Let us all
be alike in this particular. ’

“we should not as a race become discouraged.
We are making ’prOgress. N 0 race has ever
gotten upon its feet without discouragements and
struggles.

“I should be a great hypocrite and a coward if
Idid not add that which my daily experience
teaches me is true, namely, that the Negro has
among many of the Southern whites is good
friends as he has anywhere in the world. These
friends have not forsaken us. They will not do
so; neither will our friends in the North. If we
make“ ourselves intelligent, industrious, economical
and Virtuous, of value to the community in which
we live, we can and will work out our own salva-
tion right here in the South. In every community,
by' means of organized effort, we should seek in ._
a manly and honorable way the conﬁdence, the
co-operation, the sympathy of the best white peo-
ple in the South and in our respective communi-
ties. With the best white people and the best
black people standing together, in favor of law
and order and justice,I believe that the safety
and happiness of both races will be made secure.”

In closing this chapter,I repeat what I have
said on another occasion. Those who fought
for the freedom of the slaves performed their

“duty heroically and well, but a duty still remains

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. . 291

for those who are left. The mere ﬁat of law
cannot make an ignorant voter an intelligent
voter; cannot make a dependent man an inde-
pendent man; cannot make one citizen respect
another. These results will come to the Negro,
as to all raCes, by beginning at the bottom and
gradually working up to the highest possibilities
of his nature. _

In the economy of God there is but one stand-
ard by which an individual can succeed; there is
but one for the race.

In working out his own destiny, while the
main burden of activity must be With the Negro,
he will need in the years to cbme the help, the
encouragement, the guidance, that the strong can
. give to the weak.

t ‘ CHAPTER XIX.

THE WEST VIRGINIA AND “OTHER RECEPTIONS
AFTER EUROPEAN TRIP.

Early in August we sailed for America from
Southampton, and had a very pleasant voyage on
the magniﬁcent ocean steamer “St. Louis.” On
the voyage I was called upon to speak again to
the passengers, and made many friends for our
cause.

While in Europe I received the following invi- ,
tation: ' ‘

“CHARLESTON, w. VA., May 16, 1899.
“PROF. B. T. WASHINGTON,
“Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama.

“Dear Sz’r.’-———Many of the best citizens of
West Virginia have united in liberal expressions
of admiration and praise of your worth and work,

and desire that on your return from Europe, you
I should favor them with your presence and with
the inspiration of your words. We most sin-
cerely endorse this move,and on behalf of the
citizens of Charleston extend to you our most

cordial invitation to have you come to us, that

 

' RECEPTION GIVEN BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. AFTER HIS RETURN FROM EUROPE. BY GOVERNOR
G. W. ATKINSON. AT THE EXECUTIVE~MANSION. CHARLESTON. WEST VIRGINIA.

 

 

 

 

 

NEW RESIDENCE OF PRINCIPAL BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 293 .

we may honor you who have done so much by
your life and work to honor us.
“We are, very truly yours,
“The Common Council of the City of Charleston,
“By W. HERMAN SMITH, Mayor.”

This invitation from the City Council of
Charleston was accompanied by the following:

“PROF. B. T. WASHINGTON,
“Principal, Tuskegee Institute.

“Dear Sz'r.’—-—We,the citizens of Charleston
and West Virginia, desire to express our pride
in you and the splendid career you have thus far
accomplished, and ask that we be permitted to
show our pride and interest in a substantial way.

“Your recent visit to your old home in our
midst awoke within us the keenest regret that
we were not permitted to hear you and render
some substantial aid to your work, before you
left for Europe.

“In view of the foregoing, we earnestly invite
you to share the hospitality of our city upon
your return frOm Europe and give us the oppor- .
tunity to hear you and put ourselves in touch
with your work in a way that will'be most grati-
fying to yourself, and that we may receive the
inspiration of your words and presence.

“An early reply to this invitation, with an

294 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

indication of the time you may reach our city
. will greatly oblige,
“Yours very respectfully, .

“The Charleston Daily Gazette, The Daily
Mail-Tribune, G. W. Atkinson, Governor; E. L.
Bog'gs, Secretary to Governor; Wm. M. O.
Dawson, Secretary of State; L. M. LaFollette,
Auditor; J. R. Trotter, Superintendent of Schools,
E. W.‘ Wilson, eX-Governor; W. A. Mac-
Corkle, eX-Governor; John Q. Dickinson, Presi- ‘i
dent Kanawha Valley Bank; L. Prichard, Presi-
dent Charleston National Bank; Geo. S. Couch,
President Kanawha National Bank; Ed. Reid,
Cashier KanaWha National Bank; Geo. S. Laid-
-ley, Superintendent City Schools; L. E. Mc-
VVhorter, President Board of Education; Chas.
K. Payne, Wholesale merchant; C. C. Lewis, Jr.,
wholesale merchant; R. G. Hubbard, Wholesale
merchant; Dan. D. Brawley, City Sergeant;
Grant P. Hall, Clerk of Circuit Court; 0. A.
Petty, Postmaster; R. Douglas Roller, Rector
St. Johns Episcopal Church; 11M. M. Williamson,
Cashier Citizen’s National Bank; J. N Carnes,
Assistant Cashier Citizen’s N at1onal Bank; J. A.
Schwabe & Co., merchants; J. A. DeGruyter,
eX-Mayor; A. H. Boyd, M. D.; E. W. Staunton,
Clerk Kanawha County Court; M. F. Compton,
Pastor State St. M. E. Church; T. C. JOhnson,
Pastor Charleston Baptist Church; Coyle 3!.

BOOKER '1‘. WASHINGTON. 295

Richardson, merchants; J. H. Gaines, United
States District Attorney; Sterrett Brothers, mer-
chants; N. S. Burlew, merchant; Joel H. Ruffner,
merchant; .M. P. Ruffner, merchant; E. G. Pier-
son, senator; B. R. Winkler, member City
Council; F lournoy, Price & Smith, lawyers; '
Abney, Barnes & Co., wholesale merchants; Sam
D. Littlepage, member of City Council; D. W.
Shaw, Pastor Simpson M. E. Church; J. McHenry
Jones, President West‘Virginia Colored Institute;
Jas. M. Canty, J. C. Gilmer, Byrd Prillerman, S.
W. Starks, J. M. Hazelwood, Phil. Waters, C.
W. Hall, Judge Criminal Court; C. W. Boyd,
Principal Garnet School; B. S. Morgan, member
of City Council.”

This invitation to accept a reception from the
citizens of Charleston, W. Va., where I had spent
my boyhood days, was a very satisfactory sur-
prise. When I left Charleston, and when I left
Malden, which is very near Charleston, I was»
quite a boy, and I had not been able to spendany
great length of time there since I had ﬁrst left to-
enter the Hampton Institute.

I accepted the invitation for the CharleSton
reception, and when I reached Charleston was
met by a committee of citizens headed by eX-Gov.
W. A. MacCorkIe. The meeting in connection
with this reception was held in the opera house,
and was presided over by Gov. George W.

296 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Atkinson. It was very largely attended by white
and colored citizens from that vicinity, a large
number of whom had known me in my boyhood
days. I must refrain from giving any detailed
account of all the kind and complimentary
things they were kind enough to say about
me at this meeting. I spent several days in
Charleston, visiting the scenes of my early boy-
hood, and my sister in Malden, and many of the
older citizens who remembered me.

After this reception in Charleston I was invited
to go to Atlanta, Ga., by the White and colored
citizens, to be given a reception there. The
' meeting in Atlanta was presided over by the
Governor of the State, and was largely attended.

Receptions by the citizens of Montgomery and
New Orleans soon followed. Invitations to
attend receptions in other states came to me, but

I was not able to accept them all.
In the fall of 1899 a meeting was held at Hunts-

ville, Ala., the spirit of which has since been taken
up by other Southern cities, which promises to
prove of lasting beneﬁt in settling the race prob-
lem in the Sleuth. In October a meeting was
called at Huntsville, which had for its object the
discussion of all matters relating to the upbuilding
of the South. It was well attended by represent-
atives from nearly every Southern State, and
was a strong body of men. Among the other

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 297

subjects discussed was the Negro problem in its
relation to the industrial progress of the South.

In connection with others, I was invited to de-
liver an address. The audience was composed
mainly of Southern white men, but in it was a
large number of Southern white women, together
with quite an attendance of colored men and
women. The address which I delivered on that
occasion attracted a great deal of attention
throughout the country, and for that reason I have ,
taken the liberty of giving it in full:

“In all discussion‘and legislation bearing upon
the presence of the Negro in America, it should
be borne in mind that we are dealing with a peo-
ple who were forced to come here without their
consent and in the face of a most earnest protest.
This gives the Negro a claim upon your ,sympa.
thy and generosity that no other race can possess.
Besides, though forced from his native land into
residence in a country that was not of his choos-
ing, he has earned his right to the title of Ameri-
can citizen by obedience to the law, by patriotism
and ﬁdelity, and by the millions which his brawny
arms and willing hands have added to the wealth
of this country. ‘

“In saying what I have to-day, although a
Negro and an ex-slave myself, there is no white
man whose heart is more wrapped up in every
interest of the south and who loves it more dearly

298 THE STORY OF MY LIFE ,AND Wong,

than is true of myself. She can have no sorrow
that I do not share; she can have no prosperity
that I do not rejoice in. She can commit no
error thatI do not deplore. She can take no
step forward that I do not approve.

“Different in race, in color, in history, we can
teach the world that, although thus differing, it is
possible for us to dwell’side by side in love, in
peace, and in material prosperity. We can be
one, as I believe we will be in a larger degree in
the future, in sympathy, purpose, forbearance and
mutual helpfulness. Let him who would embit-
ter, who would bring strife between your race
and mine, he accursed in his basket and in his
store, accursed in the fruit of his body and the
fruit of his land. N 0 man can plan the degrada-
tion of another race without being himself de-
graded. The highest test of the civilization, of
any race is its willingness to extend a helping
hand to the less fortunate. -

“The South extends a protecting arm and a
welcome voice to the foreigner, of all nationalities,
languages and conditions, but in this I pray that
you will not forget the black man at your door,
whose habits you know, whose ﬁdelity you have
tested. You may make of others larger gatherers
of wealth, but you cannot make of them more
law-abiding, useful and God-fearing people than
the Negro who has been by your side for three

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. / 299

centuries, and whose toil in forest, ﬁeld and mine
has helped to make the South the land of promise
and glorious ”possibility. g .
“Before we can make much progress we must
decide whether or not the Negro is to be a per-
manent part of the South. With the light that
isbefore us, I have no hesitation in declaring that
the great bulk of the Negro population’will reside
among you. Any hesitation or doubting as to
the permanent residence of the race will work in-
ﬁnite harm to the industrial and economic inter-
ests of both races. Here, in His wisdom, Provi-
dence has placed the Negro. Here he will remain.
Here he came Without a language; here he found
the Anglo-Saxon tongue. Here he came in pagan-
ism; here he found the religion of -Christ. Here
he came in barbarism; here he found civilization.
Here he came with untrained hands; here he
found industry. If these centuries of contact with
the American has done this, can you not trust to
the Wise Creator, aided by the efforts of the Negro
himself, and your guidance, to do the remainder?
At this point, are you willing to cease your efforts
and turn the work over to others for completion?
Your duty to the Negro will not be fulﬁlled until
you have made of him the highest type of Ameri-
can citizen, in intelligence, usefulness and morality.
“The South has within itself the forces that are
to solve this tremendous problem. You have the

300 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

climate, the soil and the material wealth. You
havethe labor to be performed that will occupy
I many times our present Negro population.
While the calls come daily from South Africa,
from the Hawaiian Islands, from the North and
the West for the strong and willing arm of the
Negro in the ﬁeld of industry, you, at your very
door, have that which others are energetically
seeking. Not only are you in possession of that
which others are seeking, but more important
than all, custom and contact have so knit the two
races together that the black man ﬁnds in these
Southern States an open sesame in labor, industry
* and business that is not surpassed anywhere. It
is here alone, by reason of the presence of the
Negro, that capital is free from tyranny and des-
potism that prevents you from employing whom
you please and for that wage that is mutually
agreeable and proﬁtable. It is here that that form
of slavery which prevents a man from selling his
labor to whom he pleases on account of his color
is almost unknown. We have had slavery, now
dead, that forced an individual to labor without
a recompense, but none that compelled a man to
remain in idleness while his family starved.
“The Negro in all parts of the country is be-
ginning to appreciate the advantage which the
South affords for earning a living, for commercial
development, and in proportion as this is true, it

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 301

will constitute the basis for the settlement of other
difficulties. The colored man is beginning to
learn that the bed rock upon which every indi-
vidual rests his chances for success in life is secur-
ing in every manly way—never at the sacriﬁce
of principle—the friendship, the conﬁdence, the
respect of his next-door neighbor in the little
community in which he lives. Almost the whole
problem of the Negro in the South rests itself
upon the question as to Whether he makes him-
self of such indispensable service to his neighbor,
to the community, that no one can ﬁll his place
better in the body politic. There is no other safe
course for the Negro to pursue. If the black
man in the South has a friend in his white neigh-
bor, and a still larger number of friends in his
own community, he has a protection and a guar-
antee of his rights that will be more potent and
more lasting than any Federal Congress or
any outside power can confer. While the
Negro is grateful fOr the opportunities which
he enjoys in the business of the South, you should
remember that you are in debt to the black man
for furnishing you with labor that is almost a
stranger to strikes, lock-outs and labor wars;
labor that is law-abiding, peaceful, teachable;
labor that is one with you in language, sympathy,
religion and patriotism; labor that has never been
tempted to follow the 'red ﬂag of anarchy, but

302 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

7 always the safe ﬂag of his country and the spot-
less banner of the cross.

“But if the South is to go forward and not
stand still, if she is to reach the highest reward
from her wonderful resources and keep abreast
of the progress of the world, she must reach that
point, without needless delay, Where she will not
be continually advertising to the world that she
has a race question to settle. We, must reach
that point where, at every election, from the
choice of a magistrate to that of a governor, the
decision will not hinge upon a discussion or a
revival of the race question. We must arrive at
that period where the great fundamental question
of good roads, education of farmers, agricultural
and mineral development, manufacturing and
industrial and public school eduCation will be, in
alarge degree, the absorbing topics in our political
campaign. But that we may get this question
from among us, the white man has a duty to per-
form, the black man has a duty.” N 0 question is
ever permanently settled until it is settled in the
principles of the highest justice. Capital and law-
lessness will not dwell together. The white man
who learns to disregard law when a Negro is
concerned will soon disregard it when a white
man is concerned.

“In the evolution of the South it seems to me
that we have reached that period where private

 

PORTER HALL. FIRST BUILDING ERECTED OF THE TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

 

 

LAUNDRY BUILDING AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. _ 303

philanthropy and the Christian church of the
white South should, in a large degree, share
directly in the elevation of the Negro. In saying
this I am not unmindful of or ungrateful for What
has already been done by individuals and through
public schools. When we consider the past, the
wonder isthat so much has been done by our
brothers in white. All great reforms and improve-
ments rest, in a large measure, upon the church for
success. You acknowledge that Christianity and
education make a man more valuable as a citi-
zen, make him more industrious, make him earn
more, make him more upright. In this respect
let me see how the three largest white denomina-
ti0ns in the South regard the Negro.

“To elevate the ignorant and degraded in
Africa, China, Japan, India, these three denom-
inations in the South give annually about
$544,000, but to elevate the ignorant, ' the
degraded at your doors, to protect your families, A
to lessen your taxes, to increase their earning
power; in a w0rd, to Christianize and elevate the
people at your very side, upon whom, in a large
measure, your safety and property depend, these
same denominations give $2I,ooo—$21,ooo for
the benighted at your doors, $544,000 for the
benighted abroad. That thirty-ﬁve years after
slavery'and a fratricidal war the master should
give even $21,000 through the medium of the

20

304 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

church for the elevation of his former slave means
much. Nor would I‘ have one dollar less go to
the foreign ﬁelds, but I would plead With all the
earnestness of my soul that the Christian South
give increased attention to the 8,000,000 of
Negroes by Whom it is surrounded. All this has ‘
a most vital and direct relation to the Work of this
Industrial convention. Every dollar that goes
intothe education of the Negro is an interest-
bearing dollar.

“For years all acknowlege that the South has
suffered from the low price 'of cotton because of
over-production. The economic history of the
wOrld teaches that an ignorant farming class
means a single crop, and that a single crop means,
too often, low prices from over-produCtion or
famine from under-production. The Negro con-
stitutes the principal farming class of the South.
So long as the Negro is ignorant in head,
unskilled in hand, unacquainted With labor-saving
machinery, so long will he conﬁne himself to
a single crop, and over-production of cotton will
result. So long as this is true, you will be bound
in economic fetters; you will be hugging the
bear, While crying for some one to help you let
. go. Every man, black and White, in the South,
with his crop mortgaged, in debt at the end of
the year, buying his meat from Iowa, his corn
from Illinois, his shoes from New York, his

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 305-

clothing from Pennsylvania, his wagon from
Indiana, his plow from Massachusetts, his mule
from Missouri, and his cofﬁn from Ohio, every-
one Who is thus situated, is a citizen who is not
producing the highest results for his state. It is
. argued that the South is too poor to educate
such an individual so as to make him an intelli-
gent producer. I reply that the South is too
poor not to educate such an individual.
“Ignorance is many fold more costly to tax-
payers than intelligence. Every black youth
that is given this training of hand and strength of
mind, so that he is able to grasp the full meaning
and responsibility of life, so that he can go into
some forest and turn the raw material into
wagons and buggies, becomes a citizen who is
able to add to the wealth of the state and to bear
his [share of the expenses of educational govern-
ment. Do you suggest that this cannot be done?
I answer that it is being done every day at Tus-
kegee, and should be duplicated in a hundred
places in every Southern state. This I take to
be the White man’s burden just now—no, no, not
his burden, but his privilege, his opportunity, to
give the black man sight, to ' give him strength,
skill of hand, light of mind and honesty of heart.
Do this, my White friends, and I 'will paint you
a picture that shall represent the future, partly as
'the outcome of this Industrial Convention, and

306 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

will represent the land where your race and mine
dwell:

“Fourteen slaves brought into the South a few
centuries ago, in ignorance, superstition and
weakneSs, are now a free people, multiplied into
8,000,000. They are surrounded, protected,
encouraged, educated in hand, heart and head,
.given the full protection of the law, thehighest
justice meted out to them through courts and
legislative enactment, they are stimulated and not
oppressed, made citizens, and not aliens, made to
understand by word and act that in proportion as
they show themselves worthy to bear resp0nsi-
bilities, the greater opportunities will be given
them. I see them loving you, trusting you,
adding to the wealth, the intelligence, the renown
70f each Southern commonwealth. In turn, I see
you conﬁding in them, ennobling them, beckoning
themon t0 the highest success, and we have all
been made to appreciate in full that,

‘The slave’s chain and the master’s alike are broken,
The one curse of the race held both in tether;
They are rising, all are rising,
The black and white together.’ ”

The most encouraging thing that happened in
connection with this convention was an‘ address
delivered by ex-Governor MacCorkle, of West
Virginia, in which‘he took the position that the
time had come when the Southern States must face

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 307

the race problem bravely and honestly; that the
South could not any longer afford to get rid of the
Negro’s ballot by questionable methods, and that
the Southern States ought. to pass a law which
would require an educational or property test, or
both, for voting, and that this law ought to be
made to apply alike to both races honestly and
fairly, and that there should ,be no evasion per-
mitted or attempted.

Governor MacCorkle is a Southern man, a
democrat. The words which he spoke on this
occasion received the most hearty cheering, and
the convention on the next day passed a resolu-
tion without a dissenting vote recommending Gov-
ernor MacCorkle’s suggestion in the settlement
of the franchise'question in the Southern States.
The inﬂuence of this convention was most bene-
ﬁcial on the minds of the Southern white people,
and gave encouragement to the Negro and to his
friends throughout the country.

As I write this chapter a conference is being
arranged for by the leading white citizens of
Montgomery, Ala., which it is intended shall
be there during‘May of each year. The object
of this conference is to afford an opportu-
nity for free and generous discussion of the race
problem from every point of View. This move-
ment, organized as it has been at the seat of the
Confederate government, is most remarkable. It

308 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

seems ﬁtting that Montgomery should be the
place Where from year to year the best thought
of the nation can assemble and assist in working
out our national problem.

In closing this chapter I simply Wish to add
that I see no reason Why the race should not feel
encouraged. Every individual or race that has
succeeded has done so only by paying the price
which success demands. We cannot expect to
get something for nothing. We shall continue
to prosper in proportion as each individual proves
his usefulness in the community, as each individ-
. ual makes himself such a pillar in property and
character that his community Will feel that he
cannot be spared.

CHAPTER XX.

NATIONAL NEGRO BUSINESS LEAGUE
ORIGIN AND WORK.

After advising carefully with some of the most
successful colored men throughout the country,
it was deemed by us that there ought to be in
the United States some organization that would
bring together annually the most substantial and
successful colored men and women who are
engaged in business and industrial enterprises, for
the purpose of consultation and receiving inspira-
tion and encouragement frOm each other, as well
as for the purpOse of arranging for the organiza-
tion of local business leagues that would co-Op-
erate with the national organizationf Accord-
ingly, the ﬁrst meeting was called to meet in Bos-
ton, in August, 1900. The meeting was in session
three days. The following is a copy of the call
' sent out for the meeting:

“After careful consideration and consultation
with prominent colored people throughout the
country, it has been decided to organize what will
be known as the National Negro Business League.

“The need of an organization that will bring
the colored people who are engaged in business

together for consultation, and to secure informa-
309

310 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

tion and inspiration from each other, has long
been felt. ' Out. of this national organization'it is
expected will grow local business leagues that will
tend to improve the Negro as a business factor.

“Boston has been selected as the place of meet-
ing, because of its historic importance, its cool
summer climate and general favorable condition.
It is felt that the rest, recreation and new ideas
which business men and women will secure from
a trip to Boston Will more than repay them for
the time and money spent.

“The date of the meeting Will be Thursday
and Friday, August 23rd and 24th, because it is
felt that this is the season; when business can be.
left with least loss. Then, too, nearly all the
steamship lines and railroads have reduced their
. rates to Boston to one fare for the round trip for
the entire summer.

“Every individual engaged in business will be
entitled to membership, but as far as possible the
' colored people in all the cities and towns of the
* country should take steps at once to organize
local business leagues, Where no such. organiza-
tions already exist, and should see that these
‘ organizations send one or more delegates to
represent them. _

“It is very important that every line of business
that any Negro man or woman is engaged in be
represented. This meeting will present a great

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 311

opportunity for us to show the world what pro-
gress we have made in business lines since our
freedom.

“This organization is not in opposition to any
other now in existence, but is expected to do a
distinct work that no other organization now in
existence can do as well.

“Another circular, giving further information
as to programme and other details of the meet-
ing, Will be issued in a few weeks. All persons,
Whether men or women, interested in the move-
ment, are invited to correspond with '

“Yours‘very truly,
“BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,
“Tuskegee, Alabama, June 15, 1900.”

The number and character of the men and
women who responded to this call was a surprise
and a source of gratiﬁcation to everyone. Rep-
resentatives came from two-thirds of the States
in the Union, the greater proportion coming from
the South. Many of them had been in slavery
during a large portion of their lives and had
started in a most humble way, and in most cases
in poverty, and had struggled up through the
greatest disadvantages to the point where they
could be classed in the world of commerce.
They represented many of the Commercial en-
terprises in which white men are engaged.
There were among them bankers, real estate

312 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

dealers, grocers, dry goods merchants, caterers,
manufacturers, contractors, druggists, under-
takers, bakers, restaurant keepers, barbers,
printers, plumbers, milliners, dressmakers, jewel-
ers, publishers and farmers. '

Perhaps the most gratifying feature in connec-
tion with the ﬁrst session of the League was the
entire absence of anything even bordering on
bickering, greed for office, and “point of order.”
In fact, during the whole meeting, there was‘not
a single point of order raised. The men and
women composing the organization came together
with an earnest purpose—that of doing some-
thing—something that would permanently beneﬁt
themselves and the race; and they would not per-
mit anything to turn them aside from this purpose.
While the League did not by any means under-
estimate the outrages inﬂicted upon the race, it
was ﬁrmly of our opinion that one way to even-
tually end these outrages, would be to help make
the Negro such a potent factor in the commercial
and industrial enterprises of the community in which
he lives that he would demand respect and conﬁ-
dence by reason of his usefulness.

It is not the object of the League to, in any
way, place mere national success above the high
religious character and thorough mental culture,
but to make commercial success a' means to the
promotion of these ends.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 313

The choice of ofﬁcers for the League resulted
in the following being elected: ‘

Booker T. Washington, President, Tuskegee,
Ala.; Giles B. Jackson, Vice President, Rich-
mond, Va.; Mrs. Albreta Moore Smith, Vice
President, Chicago, 11].; Gilbert C. Harris, Treas-
urer, Boston, Mass; Edward E. Cooper, Secre-
tary, Washington, D. C.; E. A. Johnson, Com-
piler, Raleigh, N. C.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

VT. Thomas Fortune, New York, Chairman;
T.W.Jones, Chicago, 111.; Isaiah T. Montgomery,
Mound Bayou, Miss.;iBooker T. Washington,
Tuskegee,Ala.; E. E. Cooper, Washington, D. C.;
George E. Jones, Little Rock, Ark; W. R.
Pettiford, Birmingham, Ala.; Gilbert C. Harris,
Boston, Mass; Louis E. Baldwin, Boston, Mass.

Another very encouraging phase of the Bos-
ton meeting was the surprising number of highly
successful men and women who appeared from
different parts of the country, and who before
had not been heard from. .Many expressed the
idea that the Business League had been long
wanted and had in its power to do a work which
.no other organization could perform. The fol-
lowing editorials from various inﬂuential news-
papers will give some of the value that was
placed upon the Business League meeting:

'From T Ize Outlook, 'New York City: “The

314 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

Convention of the National Negro Business
League, held in Boston last week, brought together
upwards of a hundred delegates, representing
over twenty different states. The members
of the convention made an excellent impression
upon the representatives of the Boston press,
both by their appearance and the intellectual
quality of their speeches. The League was
organized upon the initiative of Booker T. Wash-
ington, and his common-sense philosophy per-
meated most ofthe addresses. Had these been
made at a gathering of white leaders, they might
justly be condemned as materialistic. Indeed,
one of them, glorifying the ‘almighty dollar’ as
the ‘new king that has been born,’ should be so

condemned. But in the main the emphasis putg

upon the acquiring of property sprang from the

desire to lift up the manhood of the Negro race;
for there is a moral difference between the
advocacy of moneygetting to secure independence
and advocacy of money-getting to secure power.

Economic independence is to- -day as much needed
for the further advancement of the Negro race

.—m.

as was emancipation from slavery for the advance {

' which the present generation has witnessed.
Even so uncompromising an opponent of material-
ism as Mr._ William Lloyd Garrison, In, recog-
nized this and emphasized it in_his address to the
convention: ‘The particular word I wish to leave

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 315

with you,’ he said, ‘is this: Aim to be your own
employers as speedily as possible. If you are
farmers, do not rest until you control the land
from which you gain your living. If you are
mechanics, or traders, seek ﬁrst to gain a home
without a mortgage, foregoing many desirable
things until you are free from debt. Indepen-'
dence and debt cannot long keep company. But, in
the South, as in the North, possession of honestly
earned property will surely bring respect and
increase personal security.’ Among the Negro
speakers were several men who have been
remarkably successful; among others, a slave of
Jefferson Davis who is now. mayor of his little town
in Mississippi. The speeches of some of these men
telling of early struggles were full of encourage-
ment to Negroes everywhere. The fact that
some Negroes have succeeded in business, as well
as the fact that some have succeeded in litera-
ture and art, forces all men to distinguish between
Negroes and Negroes, and opens the door of
opportunity to all Negroes who aspire.”

From Bzgﬂalo Express: “The recent meet-
ing of the National Negro Business League in
Boston brought to public notice a new line of
endeavor advocated by the leading Negroes of the
country for the betterment of their race’s-com-
mercial and social position. The call for the for-
mation of the League was issued by President

316 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute,
and that it was heartily responded to by Negro
business men in all parts of the country, was shown
by the assembling of delegates from no less than
twenty-ﬁve states. . The key to the discussion
during this interesting conference is to be found
in the address of Prof. Booker T. Washington,
who said in part: ‘I have faith in the timeliness
of this organization. As I have noted the condi-
tions of our people in nearly every part of our
country, I have always been encouraged by the,
fact that almost without exception, whether in the
North or South, wherever I have seen a black
man who was succeeding in business, who was a
tax-payer, and who possessed intelligence and
high character, that individual was treated With
highest respect by the members of the white race.
In proportion as we can multiply those examples
North and South will our problem be solved.
Let every man strive to become the most useful
and indispensable man in his community. A use-
less, idle class is a menace anda danger. We
must not in any part of our country, become dis-
couraged, notwithstanding the way often seems
dark and desolate. We must maintain faith in
ourselves and in our country.’

“This opens the line of work, the possibilities
of which are most promising. The development
of industrial life among the Negroes in the South

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. , 317

by schools is essential to the growth of one ele-
ment and is remedying the evil of idleness. The
new plan goes farther and aids in developing the
business instincts of the race, establishing Negroes
in mercantile pursuits and in other ways making
them important factors in the commercial circles
of the country. Already there are many examples
of the progress of the Negro in this direction. In
Chicago is a large co-operative store, where
groceries and meats are sold, while, Philadelphia
and Richmond each have a large department
store conducted by Negroes. Nearly two hundred
Negroes in Chicago alone are engaged in various
lines of business. Still another example is found
in the corporation of New Jersey of an investment
and supply company in which the corporators are \
Negroes. This company is authorized to furnish
. supplies to families, establish stores, deal in real
estate without limit and engage generally in com-
mercial pursuits. It is stated in the papers that
the company will carry on a portion of its busi-
ness in the cities of New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington, Chicago, . Cincinnati,
St. Louis, Wilmington, De1., and Richmond and
Norfolk, Va., as well as in other places. The
capitalization of this company is $75,000.”

From Springﬁeld Republican: “The organ-
ization of the National Negro Business League
by the great c0nvention at Boston, last week,was

318 ’ THE STORY OF MY'LIFE AND WORK,

oneof the most important steps yet taken in the
lifting of the Negro race to that equality pro-
claimed implicitly by the Declaration of Indepen-
dence and explicitly by the constitutional amend-
ments which followed the war. Between one and
two hundred delegates were present; the 'South
that made the civil war for Negro slavery was
well represented; New England, New York,
Pennsylvania, were now the ruling factors in this
congress of men opening a new stage in the pro-
gress of the race. They came as Americans}—
and who has a better right than the Negro to that
title? A few days ago a Southern white said
that the Negroes had no country, no birthright
--not reﬂecting that he has been given a country
by arbitrament of war, and that his birthright, in
a majority of cases, was quite as clearly traceable
to white ancestry as his traducer’s own. But the
Negro race has been compelled to a'solidarity ~
which is rare in mixed races; the man or woman -
> so white that no one could guess from his hair or
complexion the stain of black blood, perforce
casts in his lot with the blackest ‘Afro-Ameri-
can’-—-and be it acknowledged that he does it
proudly, for the Warmest advocates of the Negro
race feeling are these very persons; they rightly
feel that the African descent is the more honor-
able.

“The convention was one of-such dignity and

 

SHOE SHOP. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE.

 

STITUTE, TEACHERS’ HOME KITCHEN.

COOKING AT TUSKEGEE IN

'BOOKER T. WASHINGTObl. 319

such seriousness, such clear-headed consideration
ofthe situation—views being taken in broader
horizons than those of 'the ‘nigger’ hate-rs,-¥—as
to win respect on all sides. And it will not be
strange, indeed, it is to be expected, that the
effect, all over the country will be of the most
valuable sort. It is scarcely possible to under-
rate or condemn a class of people who have so '
evinced their equality in what the White man
especially prides himself'on,—the faculty of con-
centrated effort, the power of organization, This
has been attained by the Negro under the-,;',Jmost
adverse conditions, as we know; even when¥3,.._he
has been most favored he has been scantily
helped; he has helped himself; and his small
advantages he has made the most of, proving
that he has the self-same spirit andpurpose that
has made America, and is just as much an Amer- .
ican and as entitled to the blessings and honors
of ' life, as a descendant of the English Puritan or
the French Huguenots, the Hollanders, the Irish,
the Scandinavian and the ,German. And when
we reﬂect upon the motley crowds from southern
Europe that have entered our country of‘ late
years, the comparison becomes absurd.

“The most interesting address was that of A I.
Hillyer, a» graduate of the University of Min-
nesota, a prominent citizen of the National capital,
who has compiled and published three editions

320 ‘ THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

of a directory of the ‘colored‘business‘ men and
women of Washington,’ and founded, and was
ﬁrst president of the ‘Union League’ so described. '
Mr. Hillyer was appointed'by the United States
Commission to make up the ﬁgures of the Negro
exhibit at the Paris exposition, and thus he spoke
With knowledge. By the census of 1890 it appears
that, twenty-ﬁve years after Emancipation, the
race had a representative in every business listed
in the census schedules. The numbers engaged
and the capital invested in many branches were
not imposing, but the beginning had been made.
. That census showed 20,020 persons of Negro
descent in business. There were agents and col-
lectors, auctioneers, bankers and brokers (114),
d-ruggists, dairymen, dry-goods dealers, grocers,
hotel-keepers, liquor dealers, undertakers, ofﬁcials
of banks and insurance companies, journalists and
publishers, builders and contractors, photogra-
phers, market-men, printers, blacksmiths, watch
and clock-makers and of' course, barbers. Out-
side of the business list over 20,000 are to
be numbered: Over 1,700 barbers; next to
these in numbers caterers, hotel and restaurant
men. Mr. Hillyer noted a stove foundry in Ten-
nessee, a cotton mill in North Carolina, a carriage
' factory in Ohio, and several brick-making plants
With large capital. He mentioned four banks, one
in Birmingham, Ala., one in Washington, D. C.,

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ‘ 321 .

and one in Richmond, Va. Nor is it true that the
business patronage of these and other institutions
is conﬁned to the Negro. Giles B. Jackson of
Richmond, who spoke concerning the Negroes
as real estate owners in that region, said that
when the city of Richmond was unable, because '
(of its poverty, to keep its white schools open, it
applied to all of the white banks for moneyin

vain. Then an appeal was made to the colored _ -

bank. ‘How much do you want?’ was asked. The
K reply was, ‘Fifty thousand dollars.’ ‘You can have
a hundred thousand,’ said the cashier, and this was
the sum loaned. Mr. Jackson also said that one-
twentieth of the real estate in Virginia is owned
by the colored people. The doings of the con-
vention have been. fair, measured by the dis- .
patches we have published. They show an
undaunted spirit in the face of all discouragements
and a ready hopefulness in their achievements.
It was a great project to form this League, and
its principal pusher, if not its originator, was Mr.
Washington of Tuskegee, the great statesman 0f
the Negro race, and not the less great because he
,. is working without the help of the state, and
directly for his people. Not, however, solely for
them; for Mr. Washington knows, as all thought-
ful men ought to see, that the white races are on
their trial in this matter. They have to
determine whether barbarism or civilization shall

\

322 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

rule. Much for the future of the United States
depends upon the wise counsel of Booker T.
Washington, who is elevating his race, and also
elevating the human family itself. ‘ He is ﬁtly
chosen the ﬁrst President of the National Negro
Business League.”

One of the most interesting articles about the
ﬁrst session of the League was contributed by Mr.
Henry J. Barrymore, to the Boston Transcript.
It seems quite fairly the conclusion reached by
most persons who attended the session of the
League:

“New Orleans, New York and Akron on the
one hand; the Negro business convention on the
other! It is a round-about logic—but neverthe-
less a good one—that answers race antipathy
with commercial success. Mr. J H. Lewis got
close to the root of things when he told that con-
vention that the Negro problem was at bottom
a mercantile problem ;\ that the business world
knows nothing of color, that human selﬁshness,
the desire of every man to get money, would
eventually banish prejudice. The almighty dollar
is_ thoroughly color-blind. Money commands
respect. Rare is the merchant or manufacturer
4 Who Will refuse to shake hands with a hundred
thousand dollars.

“ ‘But What hope has the Negro to succeed in
business?’ said Mr. Lewis. ‘If you can make a

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 323

‘better article than anybody else, and sell it
cheaper than anybody else, you can command
the markets of the world. Produce something
that somebody else wants, whether it be a shoe-
string or a savings bank, and the purchaser or
patron will not trouble himself to ask who the
seller is. This same great economic law runs
through every line of industry, whether it be
farming, manufacturing, mercantile or profes-
sional pursuits. Recognize this fundamental law
of trade; add to it tact, good manners, a resolute
will, a tireless capacity for work, and you will .
succeed in business. I have found in my own
experience of thirty years in business, that suc-
cess and its conditions lie all around us, regard
less of race or color. I believe that it is possible
for any man with the proper stuff in him to
make a success in business wherever he may be.
The best and only capital necessary to begin with
is simply honesty, industry and common sense.’
This 13 good reasoning.

“It is also both practical and practicable.
Results prove it. Mr. Booker T. Washington,
in his travels through widely separated regions
of the United States, found so many Negroes
engaged in proﬁtable commercial pursuits that
he thought the time had come to put the Negro
business men on terms of mutual acquaintance-
ship and mutual helpfulness. Then, with that

It

‘324 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

rare insight which characterizes the man’s really
pindisputable genius, he conceived a big conven-
tion, where the Negro business world should take
to itself a voice that must at once impress the
white man and encourage the black man. The
plan worked as per speciﬁcation. Newspapers
saw space in it—space, and timeliness and vital
- human interest, with here and there a touch of
the sensational. The business Negro is, there-
fore, getting the public notice he so genuinely
deserves. It will do us all good.

“For one. it did me good. I confess I went to
the Parker Memorial with ill-stiﬂed chuckles of
expectant amusement. My chuckles ceased as I
’ entered, for there was something impressive in
the splendid show of bunting, something impres-
sive, too, in the gravity of the colored audience,
and something wonderfully earnest about the big
banner at the back of the stage” That banner
made plain, blunt use of the word Negro. So
did the speakers. Racial pride is beginning to
assert itself. These men have little to say of the
‘colored’ people or of the ‘Afro-American.’
They are outgrowing, all that sort of affectation.
They do, however, insist that the word Negro
shall be written Withra capital N. And why
should they not? We capitalize the Indian, the
Chinaman, the Filipino; shame to withhold so
small an honor from the Negro! ‘

BOOKER “T. WASHINGTON. 325

“Another confession. I looked for the tall silk
hat and the ﬂashy suit of clothes. They were
there, but not among the delegates. The silly,
uneducated, shiftless Negro puts his pay on his
back; the business Negro puts his pay in the
bank. Here were men who had penetrated the
real secret of success, men who understood that
the only sure basis of progress is economic, men
who would sacriﬁce to-day’s indulgence for
to-morrow’s independence, men who cared so .
much for social and educational advancement
that they had come to despise the puerile strut
and brag of the Negro dandy.

“Their faces surprised me as much as their
clothes. There IS a certain contemptible type of
Caucasian who‘affects an equally contemptible
inability to tell one Negro from another. At the
Negro convention he would have had no excuse
for such downright stupidity. No white audience
ever showed a more interesting variety of feature
and countenance, and yet, for all that, I thought
I could class those men by types—the cake-walk
Negro, the old-Confederate-Colonel Negro, and
the well-to-do-merchant Negro. The cake-walk
Negro—round-faced, shavey-headed, black as a
coal scuttle, clad in rainbow-tinted cheap ﬁnery—
came from Pleasant street. No seat on the
platformifor him! The old-Confederate-Colonel
Negro —— gray moustache and imperial, gold-

326 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

bowed spectacles and somber dress—this was the ‘
man from the South. The well-to-do merchant
Negro hailed from nowhere in particular, and,
save for his color, was in no striking respect very
different from white men of a similar rank in the
world of trade. Sometimes the color was puz-
zling. A gentleman from Dixie was as white as
I am. A handsome fellow he was, with a ﬁrm,
stocky ﬁgure and beautifully chiseled features.
Readers of Mr. Charles W. Chesnutt’s current
series in the Transcript would view that colored
Southerner with a keen ethnological interest.
Which reminds me: A year or so ago I took
lunch in Cleveland with Mr. Chesnutt himself.
That was before his books had called world-wide
attention to his color. I had read his stories in
the Atlantic and said: ‘Tell me, Mr. Chesnutt,
how dld. you ever come to know the Northern
darkey so well?’ Mr. Chesnutt replied that he
had had rather unusual opportunities for observ-
ing the Northern darkey at close range. Six
months later I learned I had had the pleasure of
lunching with a cultured ‘Negro,’ and that Mr.
Chesnutt had been bubbling with merriment ever
since. I did not suspect it at the time. The
business convention abounded with just such
unrecognizable Negroes. Under the yellow glare
of the evening lights it was difﬁcult, in many
cases, to tell who was white and who was ‘col-

BOOKE’R T. WASHINGTON. 327

ored.” In fact, I began to wonder whether I was
White myself. ‘

“The ear was as often deceived as the eye.
Had I been blind, I should have said the speakers
were white Southerners. With hardly an excep-
tion, their grammar was perfect and their pro-
nunciation excellent. I had expected some mar-
velous Negro malapropisms. I heard none. I
came with the writer’s usual hunger for ‘color,’
but nothing could have been more hopelessly
devoid of color than the colored congress. Those
black men had even to a considerable degree, the
common Caucasian foibles; uniformly, when told
they had only ﬁve minutes left, they consumed
four minutes at least in explaining how sorry
they were that there remained but ﬁve minutes;
uniformly, they wasted precious time in introduc-
ing their speeches with irrelevant stories; uni-
formly they put themselves at altogether unnec-
essary pains to explain that Boston was the
grandest city in North America or anywhere else.

“It pleased me to see how brave the Negro
could be and how patient. I waited for out-
breaks of protest against White oppression, and
especially against recent white cruelty. I heard
none. No one ‘cried baby.’ The spirit of the
whole occasion was distinctly hopeful. Regard-
ing material advancement as the basis of every
other sort of progress, the Convention listened

328 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

eagerly to every account of Negroes, once poor,
who had built houses, bought land, opened places .
of independent business and established solid
bank accounts. Repeatedly it was pointed out-
that men born slaves had actually become rich;
also that the total material progress of the Negro
race had been accomplished in only thirty-ﬁve
years—a happy augury for the future! Such
utterances called out tumultuous cheers, mingled
-With the shrill ‘rebel yell’ of the Southerners.
~Yet there was scarcely any tendency to indulge
in racial self-laudation. More than once the
speakers insisted that the commercial superiority
of the white man must be frankly recognized and
that the Negro must learn to copy the White
man’s methods. In general, the convention
depreciated the N egro’s desire to ﬂatter the
‘ Negro. ‘ Far from that, let us look the conditions
honestly and courageously in the face. Let us say
the things that Will help our people, whether those
things are pleasant or otherwise.’ To be sure, a
good many of those beneﬁcial deliverances were
sheer platitudes, but the Negro race is in need of
' platitudes. It is fortunately developing a relish
for platitudes. It has reached that stage of moral
and intellectual evolution where it has come to 7
realize the vital importance of plain, home-spun,
brown-colored truths. It is laying the basis for its.
social philosophy by making sure of its axioms.

BOOKER T. ,WASHINGTON. 329

‘i‘Supposably, an enormous fund of emotional
dynamics was walled in and roofed over at the
Negro convention. Nevertheless the convention
left the impression of a deliberative council seri-
ously at work. Somebody says the best test of
the earnestness and intelligence of an audience is
to see how the audience acts when a little inter-
ruption occurs. The convention was put to that
test. In the midst of Mr. William Lloyd Garri-
son’s stirring address, the ﬁre company, stationed
just across the way, responded to an alarm.
There was pandemonium in the street below, but
not an eye left the speaker. Just once the con-
vention lost complete control of itself. A tall,
slender youth had spoken some moments in a
vein so modest that the chairman interrupted:
‘Gentlemen,’ said he, ‘the speaker hasn’t much
to say for himself, so I’m going to put in a word
of my own. I can’t help it. That man, gentle-
men—that man there was in the front of the
charge at San Juan!’ At that the air seemed
suddenly to' be composed of equally active parts
of handkerchiefs, hats and hilarious cheers.‘ The
slender youth bowed acknowledgments and said
his speech ought to take a military turn, but that

he hesitated to say the thing he had in mind.

"It was not a pleasant thing.’
“ ‘Say it out!’ yelled twenty voices.

“So he said it out. He was disappointed in

330 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt, said he, had
slandered the Negro soldier; and there was really
no braver soldier in the world. The Negro never
ﬂinched, never retreated. ‘Why, gentlemen,
way back in the old days there was a Negro in
the ﬁght. And as for what Col. Roosevelt says
about Negro soldiers being dependent upon White
ofﬁcers, I’ll tell you the truth. There wasn’t any
oﬂicer in control on San Juan Hill—or rather,
every Negro private was a Negro captain!’
“Then I knew what Stephen Crane meant by
‘red yells.’ But this, as Isay, was an isolated
instance of rampant emotionalism. The uproar
was not repeated. And think what the orderly,
decorous, well dressed, educated assemblage
represents? Think of the change brought by.
thirty-ﬁve. years of Negro progress—slaves,
freedmen, laborers, capitalists, reformers, leaders
of a struggling race, and all in scarcely more
than a generation of time! Think of the millions
who are still coming up, the millions who have in
them the possibilities of success, the millions
whom we must judge by the standards of the
business convention, and not by the standards of.
the criminal courts. The convention, now that
it has come and gone, leaves a memory of heroic
hopefulness and patience, not unmingled with
pathos. It was signiﬁcant and altogether appro-
priate, that a Negro singer (on Thursday even-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. I 331

ing) should have sung the ‘Recessional’ with its
"double refrain, ‘Lord God of hosts, be with us
)7et ! 3 )3

After considering the matter carefully it was
decided to make the League a permanent organ-
ization that should meet annually.

The second session was held in Chicago, Illi
nois, August 21, 22 and 23, I901, and was even
more largely attended than was the ﬁrst meeting.

This meeting was made noteworthy in one
7 respect by the result of the following telegram
of congratulation from the late President of the
United States:

- “CANTON, OHIO, August 22, 1901.
“PRESIDENT BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,

“Convention of the National Negro Business
League:

“I have received your recent letter, but regret
that I will be unable to accept your kind» invita-
tion to attend the meeting of the National Negro
Business League, to be held in Chicago this
week. Please accept for yourself and those
assembled my best wishes for the advancement
and prosperity of your race.

“WILLIAM MCKINLEY.”

The second meeting was free, as was the. ﬁrst
one, from those unseemly and useless parliament-
ary wrangles which too often mar the character
of public meetings among our people. The sec-

332 THE sTORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ond meeting was composed, as was the ﬁrst, of
hard-headed, earnest men and women who met
for a purpose and were determined that success
should crown their efforts.

The following programme will give some idea
of the scope and character of the Chicago
meeting:

Wednesday, August 2|, 10 A. M.

Meeting Called to Order.
. Invocation.
Address of Welcome, on behalf of the State,
. His Excellency, Governor Richard Yates.
Address of Welcome, on behalf of the City of Chicago,
His Honor, Mayor Carter H. Harrison.
Address of Welcome, on behalf of the Colored Business Men
and Women of Chicago, - - ‘ - Mr. W. F. Taylor.
The President’s Address.
Appointment of Committees,
(a) Credentials.
(b) Resolutions and Organization.
The Business League of Virginia,
Giles B. Jackson, Richmond, Va.
Business Features of the Order of True Reformers,
W. L. Taylor, Richmond, Va.
What the Twin- -City Business Association 18 Accomplishing,
J. A. Wilson, Kansas City, Mo.
Can the Negro Succeed as a Business Man?
Theodore W. Jones, Chicago, Ill.

Evening Session, 8 P. M.

The Negro Women’s Business Club of Chicago and its Achieve-
ments, - - Mrs. Albreta M. Smith, Chicago, Ill.
Merchandising, - - Charles Banks, Clarksdale, Miss.
The Grocery Business, William Oscar Murphy, Atlanta, Ga.

The Hampton Building and Loan Association,
Harris Barrett, Hampton, Va.

Negro Business Enterprises, of Mobile,

A. N. Johnson, Mobile, Ala.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 333

Thursday, August 22, 10 A. M.

The Drug Business, — Dr. Willis S. Sterrs, Decatur, Ala.
Mistakes to be Avoided, - S. R. Scottron, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Merchant Tailoring, - - L. G. Wheeler, Chicago, Ill.

Colored Business Women of the East,

Mrs. Dora A. Millar, Brooklyn, N. Y.
The Game and Poultry Business,

Walter P. Hall, Philadelphia, Penn.
Dress-making and Millinery, Mrs. Emma L. Pitts, Macon, Ga.
Representing the Kansas City Coal and Feed COmpany, and The
Wyandotte Drug Company, ‘
» I. F. Bradley, Kansas City, Kan.

NO NIGHT SESSION—A banquet was tendered the ofﬁcers
and delegates of the National Negro Business League by the
citizens of Chicago, Thursday evening, August 22d, at First
Regiment Armory, Sixteenth and Michigan Boulevard. *

Friday, August 23, IO A.-M.

« Carriage Manufacturing, - F. D. Patterson, Greenﬁeld, Ohio.
Real Estate, - - - - J. C. Napier, Nashville, Tenn.
The Negro in Insurance, - W. F. Graham, Richmond, Va.
The Negro as a Silk Operative,

T. W. Thurston, Fayetteville, N. C.
The Negro Publishing House, - R. H. Boyd, Nashville, Tenn.

. C. H. Smiley, Chicago, Ill.
Caterlng, ' ' ' i Jno. S. Trower, Philadelphia, Pa.

Report of Ofﬁcers.
Report of Committee,
(a) Resolutions._
(b) Organization.
Evening Session, 8 P. M;
The Negro as a Manufacturer and Jobber, ,
Anthony Overton, Kansas City, Kan.
The Logic of Business Development,
T..Thomas Fortune, New'York, N. Y.

S. L. Davis, Hobson City, Ala.
The Founding of a Negro City, i Isaiah T. Montgomery, Mound
- , Bayou, Miss.

The reception tendered the members of the
League by the citizens of Chicago at Armory

334 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Hall brought 2,500 of the most intelligent and
cultured colored people that it has ever been my
privilege to meet in any part of the country. I
‘ am sure that no one could have come in contact
With those attending the reception and have sat
for three days’ session of the League Without
being convinced that the race has made tremen-
dous progress since the days of slavery.

The present ofﬁcers of the National Negro 1
Business League elected at Chicago, August 23d,
_ are as follows.

President—Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee,
Alabama; First Vice- President—Giles B. Jack
son, Richmond, Virginia, Second Vice- President
—-—Mrs. D. R. Robinson, St. Louis, Missouri;
Third Vice President—Charles Banks, Clarks-
dale, Mississippi; Recording Secretary—Edward
E. Cooper; Corresponding Secretary—-—Emmett
J. Scott, Tuskegee, Alabama; Treasurer—Gilbert
C. Harris, Boston, Massachusetts; Compiler—S.
Laing Williams, Chicago, Illinois; Registrar—-
P. J Smith, Jr.,» Boston, Massachusetts; Execu-
tive Committee—T. Thomas Fortune, Chairman,
New York; Dr. S. B. Courtney, Boston, Mass.;
T. W. Jones, Chicago; George E. Jones, Little-
Rock, Ark.; N. T. Veler, Brinton, Pa. , W. L.
Taylor, Richmond, Va.; T. A. Brown, San F ran
cisco, Cal. ,J. C. Napier, Nashville, Tenn.; M. M.
Lewey, Pensacola, Fla.

 

YOUNG WOMEN AT WORK IN THE SEWING ROOM, TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

 

 

GIRLS AT TUSKEGEE, ENGAGED IN (HORTICULTURE) GARDENING.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE MOVEMENT FOR A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT

Having, through nearly twenty years of inces-
sant toil, succeeded in securing for Tuskegee the
annual expenses for running the school and the
money with which to purchase its present
plant and equipment, valued at about $300,000,
it has been for several years clearly seen by
the trustees and myself that the thing needed to
secure Tuskegee in the future was a permanent
endowment fund. Not only is an endowment
fund necessary as an assurance that the work of
Tuskegee shall go on in the future, but it is nec2 _,
essary in order to relieve the Principal of the hard
work of remaining in the North the greater por-
tion of his time begging and speaking in order to
raise the amount annually necessary to carry on
the work. An endowment fund, the interest from
which would be sufﬁcient to meet, partially, the
' current expenses of the institution, would enable
the Principal to devote his time to the executive
work of the school, and this would obviously lead
to greater perfection in the work there, both in'the
academic and industrial branches. Improved

methods and facilities would redound to the hen-

335
22

836 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

eﬁt of each person educated at the institution.
Various appeals, for the last year or two, have
been made to the friends of Tuskegee for an en-
dowment fund, and within the past year we have
received by gifts and bequests $38,848.93 for this
purpose. The United States Congress, in the
winter'of 1899, donated to Tuskegee 25,000 acres
of land out of the public domain of Alabama, the
proceeds of this grant to be added to the endow-
ment fund. .

No organized effort, however, was made to in-
terest the friends of Tuskegee in the matter of
raising a permanent endowment until the fall of
1899. It was then thought by the trustees and
myself that the time was ripe for putting forth
speciﬁc effort in this direction. Accordingly, it
was decided to hold a public meeting in Decem-
ber, 1899, in the city of New York, at which the
work of Tuskegee might be set forth by capable
speakers, and the good the school was accom-
plishing, not only among the Negroes of the
“black belt” but for the whole country, might be
brought forcibly to the ears of the public. This
meeting was held in the concert hall of Madison
Square Garden, in the City of New York, on the
evening of December 4, 1899. I take pleasure in
giving a description of this meeting and in men-
tioning some of its immediate results, because it

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 337

proved to be a magniﬁcent tribute to the cause
for which Tuskegee stands. A

Ex-President Grover Cleveland had very kindly
consented to be present and to preside at this
meeting. The beautiful concert hall, which holds
about 2,000 people, was packed that night so that
it was difﬁcult to procure even standing room.
Many prominent people occupied seats - upon the
platform and in the boxes. Among the former I
might mention Mr. Morris K. Jesup, Mr. Wm. E.
Dodge, Mr. Alexander Orr, Mr. Robert C. Ogden,
Mr. George Foster Peabody, Rev. Dr. C. H.
Parkhurst, Rev. Dr. D. H. Greer, Mr. Charles E. «
Bigelow, Mr. Arthur Curtiss James, Mr. John A.
Stewart, Mr. A. S. F rissell, Mr. George McAneny,
Mr. Horace White, Hon. John M. Barrett, Mr.
Walter H. Page, Hon. Seth Low, Hon. E. M.
Shepard, Hon. Levi P. Morton, Dr. N. M. Butler,
Mr. J. G. Phelps Stokes, Mr. John E. Parsons,
Hon. Carl Schurz, Rev. P. B. Tompkins, Mr.
Samuel P-‘ Avery, Mr. R. F. Cutting, Mr. J. S.
Kennedy, Mr. C. P. Huntington, Mr. C. S.
Smith, Mr. R. W. Gilder, Chancellor H. K.
McCracken, Mr. William G.'Low, Mr. W. P.
Ware, Prof. Chas. Sprague Smith, Mr. Wm. Jay
Schieffelin, Mr. Charles Lanier, Mr. J. Hampden
Robb, Mr. Dorman B. Eaton, Mr. Horace E.
Deming, Mr. Joseph Lorocque, Mr. J. Kennedy
Todd, Mr. LeGrand B. Cannon, Mr. Charles S.

338 THE STORY» OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

F airchild, Mr. August Belmont, Mr. Jacob H.
Schiff, Mr. Gustav Schwab, Mr. James C. Carter,
Mr. John L. Cadwallader, Mr. Cleveland H.
Dodge, Rev. Dr. H. Heber Newton, Mr. Edward
Hewitt, Dr. Hamilton W. Mabie, Mr. Wheeler
H. Peckham, Mr. Everett P. Wheeler, Mr. I.
Fredk. Kernochan, Col. Wm. Jay, Mr. Chas. C.
Beaman, Rev. Dr. Wm. R. Huntington, Rev.
Dr. Morgan Dix, Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott, Mr.
William Dean Howells, Gen. Wager Swayne,
Hon. W. L. Strong, Mr. Charles H. Marshall, Mr.
Henry Holt, Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. Among
those who occupied boxes were Mr. Robert C.
Ogden, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Dodge, Mrs. C. R.
Lowell, Mr. Henry Villard, Mr. C. D. Smith,
Miss Putnam, Mr. George Foster Peabody, Mr.
and Mrs.John D. Rockefeller, Mrs. F redk. Bill-
ings, Miss Olivia Stokes, Mrs. C.-A. Runkle,
Miss Matilda W. Bruce, Miss Mary Parsons,
Mr. W. H. Baldwin, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Morris K.
Jesup,_Mr. and VMrs. Theodore K. Gibbs, Mrs.
W. H. Harkness, Mrs. C. B. Hackley, Miss
Bryce, Mrs. F. C. Barlow, Mr. and Mrs. A. T.
White, Mr. and Mrs. C. M. Pratt, Mr. C. E.
Bigelow.

The day before the meeting was to be held Mr.
Cleveland found himself conﬁned to his house by
illness, and wrote me of his inability to be present.
The letter proved to be almost, if not quite, as

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 339

great an encouragement to the object of the meet-
ing as Mr. Cleveland’s presence would have been.
The letter was read at the meeting, and I think
the reader will not complain if I quote it here. It "
is as follows:

PRINCETON, N. J., Dec. 3, I899.
“ MY DEAR MR. WASHINGTON:

“ My inability to attend the meeting to-morrow
evening, in the interest of Tuskegee Institute, is a
very great disappointment to me. If my partici-
pation could have, in the slightest degree, aided
the cause you represent, or in the least encouraged
you in your noble efforts, I would have felt that
my highest duty was in close company with my
greatest personal gratiﬁcation.

“It has frequently occurred to me that in the
present condition of our free Negro population in
the South, and the incidents often surrounding ’
them, we cannot absolutely calculate that the
future of our nation will always be free from
dangers and convulsions, perhaps not less lament-
able than those which resulted from the enslaved
Negros, less than forty years ago. Then the cause
of trouble was the injustice of the enslavement of
four millions; but now we have to deal with eight
millions, who, though free, and invested with all
the rights of citizenship, still constitute, in the
body politic, a mass largely affected with igno-

, 340 THE STORY or MY LIFE AND WORK,

rance, slothfulness and a resulting lack of appre- *
ciation of the obligations of that citizenship.

“ I am so certain that these conditions cannot
be neglected, and so convinced that the mission
marked out by the Tuskegee Institute presents
the best hope of their amelioration, and that every
consideration makes immediate action important,
whether based upon Christian benevolence, a love
of country, or selﬁsh material interests, that I am
profoundly impressed With the necessity of such
prompt aid to your efforts as will best insure their
success.

“ I cannot believe that your appeal to the good
people of our country will be unsuccessful. Such
disinterested devotion as you have exhibited, and
the results already accomplished by your unselﬁsh
work, ought to be sufﬁcient guarantee of the far-
reaching and beneficent results that must follow
such a manifestation of Christian charity and good
citizenship, as would be apparent in a cordial and
effective support of your endeavor.

“I need not say how gratiﬁed I am to be able
to indicate to you that such support is forthcom-
ing. It will be seen by the letters which I enclose,
that already an offer has been made through me,
by a benevolent lady in a Western city, to con-
tribute twenty-ﬁve thousand dollars toward the
Endowment Fund, upon condition that other sub-
scriptions to this fund aggregate the amount re-

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 341

quired. With so. good a beginning I cannot
believe it possible that there will be a failure in
securing the endowment which Tuskegee so,
much needs.
“Yours very truly,
“ GROVER CLEVELAND.”

“ BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, ESQ.”

In the absence of Mr. Cleveland, the Hon. Carl
Schurz consented to preside at the meeting; and,
as might be expected of one so ripe in experiences,
he proved to be all that could be desired of a
presiding oﬂicer. His short speech on taking the
chair showed a hearty sympathy with the work
that is being done at Hampton and Tuskegee.
Mr. Schurz is a well-known German-American,
who has been a general in the war of the Rebellion,
a Senator in Congress and a member of the
Cabinet of President Hayes. He has been for
years a foremost worker in the Civil Service
Reform movement. He is a writer of ability and
a man who needs no introduction in the United
States. 7 ’

The Tuskegee Male Quartette was present and
rendered plantation melodies, to the great delight
of the audience.

The ﬁrst speaker of the evening was Mr.
Walter H. Page, a native of North Carolina,
but for several' years the editor of the Atlantic

342 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Monthly, in Boston. The effort' of Mr. Page
was truly wonderful. He is a native Southerner,
who has studied the Negro question for more
than twenty years, from every point of view, as
he alleged. He was well prepared to speak, and
with irresistible logic and unusual eloquence,
pointed out the beneﬁts of the Tuskegee plan for
the solution of the race problem. He claimed it
to be the only solution that had been discovered.
He pointed out how hopeless was the condition _
of the race, unless the problem was solved by
industrial and moral training, and how hopeful
would be its condition if the problem were settled
in this way.

At the conclusion of Mr. Page’s address, Mr.
William H. Baldwin, Jr., one of,our trustees,
and a member of the Committee on the Invest-
ment of the Endowment Fund, spoke in behalf
of thetrustees, as follows:

“It is my privilege to speak’ to you as a
trustee of Tuskegee Institute on the subject of
its ﬁnances. The generous friends who have
made Tuskegee possible should know its exact
business condition. It has been a hard but bene-
ﬁcial struggle for Mr. Washington to raise the
funds necessary to pay the current expenses of
the Institution, to acquire the 2,267 acres of land,
and to erect the forty-two buildings now com-
prising the school. i

B‘OOKER T. WASHINGTON. . 343

“During the eighteen years of development,
there have been imperative demands from time to
time for buildings for which no speciﬁc funds were
available. The rapid growth of the work, the
constantly increasing number of students, with '
applications for admission far beyond the capacity
of the buildings,-put a ,burden on the trustees
which compelled them in their positions as
trustees, to advance some of the unrestricted
contributions for the construction of buildings to
protect the general welfare of the Institution.

“During this period, enough money has been
collected to pay the current expenses, and to
accumulate $300,000 in plant and equipment, and
an endowment fund of $62,2 5 3. 39.

“ N 0 mortgage has ever been placed ,upon the
property, and the trustees desire to pay any and.
all indebtedness without mortgaging the property,
and without using other resources which should
be used for endowment, or for increased plant.

- “The grant of 25,000 acres of land from the
United States Government in 1897, is valued at
a minimum of $100,000, and that land, together
with unrestricted legacies to be received, are
obviously full security for the advances made by
the trustees. But these resources should be
kept 'for permanent uses, and to care for the con-
stantly increasing demands of the School.

“The income for the ﬁscal year ending May

.. 344 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

31, 1899, amounted to $1 Io,161.59. The current
expenses for running the Institution were $64,-
386.70, showing very economical administration
for the care of nearly 1,200 people. The balance .
of income was used in the construction and com-
pletion of buildings, and in reducing a part of
the indebtedness. The endowment fund received
$38,848.93 last year.

“In order that the accounts of the School
should be kept on a strictly business basis, the
trustees, in 1897, appointed an auditor, a certiﬁed
public accountant of New York, to direct and
supervise all the accounts. The trustees are in
position to assure you that any contributions
made, are properly and rigidly accounted for;
and furthermore, that all expenditures are made
with great economy and wise discretion.

,“In short, Tuskegee has a good business
organization, and warrants the entire conﬁdence
of its friends. Its endowment fund will be
strictly preserved. Special contributions for
buildings or other speciﬁc purposes will be kept
separate for their particular uses, and the contri-
butions for current expenses will be expended
economically and effectively.

' “Though the School is still in need of simple
buildings for dormitories, classrooms and shops,
the trustees determined in 1898 that a point of
development had been reached when the Institute

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 345

should not go into debt for any new buildings,
— and that in future no buildings should be erected
until all the necessary funds are guaranteed fOr
the purpose.

“There are two interests to be served by the
upbuilding and strengthening of Tuskegee~the
whole Negro race, and the country as a whole.
The industrial education of the N egro—the
education from the foundation up, as practiced at
Tuskegee, is of vast business importance to all of
us. The difference between ten million ignorant
Blacks and ten million reasonably educated indus-
trial workers, means more than sympathy, more
than sentiment, more than our duty—it means
wealth to the community. _

“There is no longer the old problem of What
to do with the Negro, That question has been
settled. The problem now is one of Cooperation
and help and work.

“Booker Washington represents the evolution
of this problem. His untiring devotion to the
cause of the Blacks, his modesty, integrity,
ability, in short, his greatness in dealing with this
question, has brought about 'such a complete
change in the understanding of the problem
within the last few years that we can hardly
repay the debt.

“Can we stand by and see a man who has such
power to lead and educate his people, begging

-346 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

from door to door’for the funds necessary to carry ,
on his work? Is it not our duty to raise such a
fund as will enable him to spend mOSt of his time
in the South, where he is needed, and where he
can serve his people, and all of us, as no other
man can do? ‘

“ N ow is the time and the opportunity to show
our recognition of the wonderful service he has
done his people and his country, and to make the
opportunity for him to be free to work to the
best advantage. {e asks an endowment fund
of $500,000—a very modest request. N ow that
the White and the Negro of both the North and
the South, and the authorities of the State of
Alabama, and the President and Congress of the
United States, have all agreed that Tuskegee
and Booker Washington show the true way, we
feel conﬁdent that there will be a quick response
to the appeal to place Tuskegee on a ﬁrm ﬁnan
cial standing.

“The friends of Tuskegee, in the past, have con-
tributed generously to work out a problem. The
problem 15 now solved—wand it should be a privi-
lege to us all to aid in this work, with the full
knowledge that every dollar expended by Tuske-
gee Will aid the Negro race in the only effective
way , and that our Whole country Will proﬁt by the
investment. ”

At the conclusion of, Mr. Baldwin’s address I

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. - 347

was introduced to the audience by the presiding
oﬁicer. In my speech I told the audience, among
other things, that the White people North and
South, and the Negroes as well, had practically
agreed that the methods of Tuskegee and Hamp-
ton offered the best solution of the perplexing
Negro problem that had been put forth. In other
words, that the whole country had agreed upon
this solution of so important an economic, political
and social problem. It was the duty, therefore,
'of those who could, to supply the means for an
effective solution in this way. I will not burden
the reader with extracts from that speech.

After I had concluded, Rev. Dr. W. S. Rain-s-
ford, Rector of St. George’s Church, New York,
_made a few extemporaneous remarks which were
regarded as a strong appeal in behalf of the pur-
pose of the meeting. I only wish I could lay be-
fore the reader the remarks of this gentleman in
full. He said, among _other things, that Tuske-
gee was doing a work for humanity—not only for
the “ Black Belt,” but for the whole country.
Pointing to me, he said, “It is our duty to do for
that man, engaged in that noble work, what we
failed to do for General Armstrong. We allowed
General Armstrong to go around begging, beg-
ging from door to door, to carry on the work at
Hampton, until it killed him. It is our duty to
save Mr. Washington from an untimely death,

O

348 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

brought on inathis way. It is our duty to save
him for useful service by endowing Tuskegee.”

AS may be partly gleaned from Mr. Cleveland’s
letter, the results of this meeting began to be felt
immediately.

A few days after the lady in the West, men-
tioned in Mr. Cleveland’s letter, gave notice that
she would give us $25,000 on condition that the
whole amount sought for was raised, we were
very pleasantly surprised to receive her check for
the $25,000, she‘ having decided to remove the
condition. Counting this $2 5,000 with the $ 50,000
given by Mr. Huntington and $10,000 by Mr.
John D. Rockefeller, the result of the meeting was
$85,000; Mr. Rockefeller’s $10,000, however,
being given for current expenses. Adding what
was received as a result of this meeting to our
' previous endowment fund, we have now (1901)
in the hands of our endowment committee about
$290,000 from which the school is receiving
interest. This does not, of course, include the
value of the unsold 25,000 acres of public land.

CHAPTER XXIII
A DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK OF THE TUSKEGEE
INSTITUTE.

The reader has doubtless noted that much
space has been occupied in this volume in detail-
ing the history of the Tuskegee Institute, and to
the casual reader this may have appeared out of
place in an autobiography. When it is borne in
mind, however, that the whole of my time,
thought and energy, for the past eighteen years,
have been devoted to the building up of this
Institute, it will be conceded that in any auto-
biography of mine, a history of the Tuskegee
Institute is unavoidable and necessary. When
the history of Tuskegee Institute, since its found-
ing until now, shall be completely written, you
will have also a history of my life for the same
space of time. It shall be my purpose in this
chapter, therefore, to give some deﬁnite idea of
the. extent to which the Institute has grown, and
also to describe with some degree of accuracy
the work that is being accomplished there in its
various departments, agricultural, mechanical,
domestic science, nurse training, musical, Bible
training, and academic.

As has been said many times before, the

349

350 STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

school began in 1881 with only the State appros ' '

priation of $2,000 per annum, speciﬁcally for the
payment of teachers’_ salaries, and for no other pur-
pose. The method by which we have succeeded
in securing the 2,500 acres of land which the
school now owns has heretofore been described.
This land is mainly comprised in two tracts.
The tract that forms the site of the Institute is
composed of 835 acres, and is known as the “home
farm.” The other large tract, which is about
four miles southeast of the Instltute, composed
‘of 800 acres, is known as “Marshall farm.”
Upon the home farm are located the ﬁfty-two
buildings, counting large and small, which makeup
the Tuskegee Institute. Of these ﬁfty-two build-
ings, Alabama, Davidson, Huntington, Cassedy
and' Science Halls, the Agricultural, Trades and
Laundry Buildings, Carnegie Library, Rockefel-
ler Hall, Dorothy Hall and the Chapel are built
of brick. There are also two large frame halls——
Porter Hall, which was the ﬁrst building built of
the Tuskegee group, and Phelps Hall, a commo-
dious and well appointed structure dedicated to
the Bible Training department. The other build-
ings are smaller frame buildings and various
cottages used for commissary, store rooms, reci-
tation rooms, dormitories and teachers’ resi-
dences. There are also the shop and saw mill,
with engine. rooms and dynamo in conjunction.

 

(

Principal Washington. Gov. Johnson, Pres. McKinley.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY AND PARTY WATCHING THE PARADE.

 

SCIENCE HALL. ERECTED BY STUDENTS AT TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND
INSTITUTE.

INDUSTRIAL

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 351

The brickyard, where all 7' the bricks ‘ that '
have been used in building our brick buildings
were made, is also situated near the school.
Last year alone the brickyard made 1,500,000
bricks. It is equipped with excellent and
improved machinery for brickmaking, and is
under the immediate supervision of Mr. William
Gregory, a graduate of Tuskegee. The. total
valuation of the property, including the yards and
all buildings, the home and the Marshall farms is
placed at $300,000. This does not include the
' endowment fund. ,

The Agricultural Department of the school has
at its head Prof. G. W. Carver, a graduate of the
Iowa State University, and a man of experience
as a Scientiﬁc farmer and a scientist of no mean
acquirements. He has eight assistants who help ‘
in looking after the divisions of dairying, stock-
raising, horticulture and truck farming embraced
in this department. The State of Alabama ap-
propriates annually the sum of $1,500 for the
maintenance of an agricultural experiment station
in connection with our agricultural department.
Some of the experiments of Pirof. Carver haVe
attracted much attention, and/it is recognized that
his conduct of the station is doing much to show
what improvements upon the old methods of farm-
ing may be wrought by scientiﬁc agriculture.

This department is well housed in a beautiful brick
23

352 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

building, containing a well equipped chemical
laboratory, erected at a cost of $10,000, adapted
to the purposes of agricultural experiment, and
other apparatus necessary for the dairy and other
divisions.

It is through the direction of the Agricultural
department that the vast amount of farm and
garden products, used by the 1,200 people con-
stituting the population of the school when in
session, is grown. About I 3 5 acres of the home
farm are devoted to the raising of vegetables,
strawberries, grapes, and other fruits. The
Marshall farm, with 350 acres in cultivation, is
utilized for the growing of corn, sugar cane (from
which syrup is made), potatoes, grain, hay and
other farm products.

Mr. J. N. Calloway is the manager of the
Marshall farm. It is worked by student labor,
from thirty to forty-ﬁve boys being employed on
it constantly. There is also a night school upon
this farm, for the accommodation of students who
work there, which is a branch of the main night
school at the Institute. At present the farm
night school requires the services of two teachers.

The Marshall farm not only produces a large
amount of the farm products that are used by the
school and its 800 head of live stock, counting
horses, mules, cows, oxe’n, sheep and hogs, but
also furnishes opportunity for students to learn

/BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 353

the art and science of farming, at the same time
attending night school and making something
above expenses to be used when the student
enters day school.

A large portion of the Marshall farm, about
400 acres, is utilized as pasture for the dry cows
and beef cattle. Everything grown upon the
farm is sold to the school at market prices. The
expenses of running the farm are also accurately
kept. At the end of the year a. balance is struck.
Last year the Marshall farm come out over $500
ahead, including in the expense account the salary-
of the manager.

The mechanical department of the institution
is now housed in the well equipped trades build-
ing, recently completed at a cost of. $36,000.
This is known as the Slater-Armstrong Memorial
Trades Building. It was dedicated and formally
opened on Wednesday, January 10, 1900, and is
the largest building on the Tuskegee Institute
grounds. It stands between the Agricultural
Building and the new chapel. The shape is that
of a double Greek cross, having an open court
85x112 feet in the center. When completed, it
will measure 283x300 feet, the main or central
portion being two stories high, the wings one
story. This measurement does not include a
room for the sawmill, which is to come at the
extreme rear end. Owing to the fact that suf-

854 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

ﬁcient money has not yet been obtained, the rear
portion of the building, consisting of seven rooms,
has not been completed. It is built entirely of
brick, and contains twenty-seven rooms. In round
numbers, it took ten hundred thousand bricks to
construct the building thus far, and every One of
these bricks was made by students under the in-7
structor in brickmaking, and laid in the wall by
students under the instructor of bricklaying.
The plans and speciﬁcations of the building were
drawn by Mr. R. R. Taylor, formerly in charge
of the architectural and mechanical drawing de-
partment of the Institute. The general oversight
of both the planning and construction was, of
course, exercised by Mr. J. H. Washington,
Director of Industries.

The interior arrangements of the building are
well suited to the teaching of the trades. The
‘ rooms, while varying in size from 37x42, the
smallest, to 37x85, the largest, will average
a 37x55, the ceiling being I 3 feet high. On the ﬁrst
ﬂoor there are the director’s ofﬁce, reading room,
exhibit room, wheelwright shop, blacksmith shop,
tin shop, printing oﬂice, carpenter shop, repair
shop, woodworking machine room, ironworking
machine room, foundry, brickmaking and plaster-
ing rooms, general stock and supply room, and a
boiler and engine room. The second ﬂoor con- A

tains the mechanical drawing room, harness shop,

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 355 '

paint shop, tailor shop, shoe shop, and electrical
laboratory, and a room for carriage trimming and
upholstering. Each shop has a cloak and tool
room connected with it. Better lighted rooms
could scarcely be found in any building. Each shop
receives light from two sides and end. The,
ofﬁce, reading room, and exhibit room are ﬁnished
with wainscoting to window sills, and plastered
from there up and overhead; In the drawing
rooms the walls are plastered, but overhead the
ceiling'of this room is of yellow pine, panelled so
as to show design. This ceiling is painted White.
The other rooms are not plastered or sealed, but
have what is called a yellow ochre ﬁnish on the
walls. The machinery in the building is run by
a 12 5-horse power engine and 7 5-horse power
boiler, both donated by Mr. C. P. Huntington, of
New York.

Each division is well supplied with all of the
tools, appliances and machinery necessary to its
successful working and to the accurate teaching
of the trades. The director of this large and im-
portant department is Mr. J. H. Washington,
who has under him twenty- -two instructors for the

various divisions.
' We believe it is wise to give our girls the most
thorough training in all those occupations suitable
and adapted to woman, without in the least
neglecting those moral and intellectual powers

356 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

which elevate any race. With this in View we
have. the following departments for the training
of our young women.

The department for the teaching of the Domestic
Sciences has for its directress Mrs. Booker T.
Washington. This department embraces laun-
dering, cooking, dressmaking, plain sewing,
millinery, mattress making, horticulture, garden-
ing, and poultry raising. It is in Dorothy
Hall. Not only are the trades above named
taught in this department, but the young women,
under. the motherly direction of Mrs. Booker T.
Washington, are taught the duties of systematic
and orderly housekeeping and duties pertaining
thereto. .

The nurse training department is conducted
in connection with the school hospital and has
fOr its instructors our resident physician and a
competent trained nurse. It has not been con-
stituted a separate department, but has formed
one of the divisions under the Director of the
Mechanical Department. The increasing demand
for trained nurses in the South has necessitated
the establishment of a regular Training School
for Nurses in connection with the school hospital.

A complete course of three years has been
laid out, two years of which consist of daily
work and instruction in the hospital, and the third
year of lectures and bedside instructions, while

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 357

one or two days of each week are devoted to
hospital work. There are special proviSions
for those who apply for this department only.
The school is open also to those who do not
wish to follow the work as a profession, but
desire to know how to intelligently care for the
sick. \

The division of music is under the supervision
of the Director of the Academic Department, and
like the nurse training department it has not been
constituted an independent department. While
the study of music has always been encouraged at
Tuskegee, and considerable work has been done,
We have been able only within the last few years
to furnish a systematic and thorough course of
study. The course in pianoforte embraces four
years. The institution owns eight pianos, two
cabinet organs and a library of music. Vocal
music is taught to the classes in the academic
department throughout the entire course.

Tuskegee students are famous for their ﬁne
singing of plantation melodies, and it is the object
of the Institute to make these old, sweet, Slave
songs a source of pride and pleasure to the
students. I

There are at Tuskegee the following
musical organizations: A choir, consisting of
seventy-ﬁve voices; a choral society, consisting
of one hundred and ﬁfty voices, organized for the

358 THE STORY OF MY: LIFE AND WORK,

' study of music from the masters; glee c1ub, c0n«
sisting of forty male voices; glee club, consisting of
tyventy female voices; and a male quartette, whose
work is to travel in the North. The institution
maintains an excellent brass band of thirty pieces,
which is' instructed by a competent director,
employed by the school. Any student possessing
knowledge of wind instruments, will be given a
chance to enter the band; but this knowledge is
not essential to membership. The band plays
every school day morning for inspection and drill.

One of the most important branches of the
Music Department is the orchestra, which con-
sists of fourteen pieces. The same rule regard-
ing membership in the band holds good for the
orchestra. The orchestra plays every week
night at evening devotions. Many students who
have played in the orchestra have developed
into competent musicians. The director of the
band has charge of the orchestra. All students
belonging to the orchestra are subject to certain
rules governing this organization.

The Bible Training Department was established
in 1893. The desire for increased opportuni-
ties for those who wish to ﬁt themselves for
the ministry, or other forms of Christian work in
the South, had been long felt. To meet this
need, a generous lady in New York erected at
Tuskegee a building called Phelps Hall, a picture

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 359

of which is herewith given, containing a chapel,
library, reading room, ofﬁce, three recitation
rooms and forty sleeping rooms, to be used as a
Bible School. The donor of this building fur-
nished each room in a comfortable and con-
venient manner, making it one of the most
beautiful and desirable buildings on the school
grounds. The instruction is wholly undenomina-
tional. It is the aim of this new department to
help all denominations,and not to antagonize any.
The Bible School is not in opposition to any
other theological work now being done, but it is
simply a means of helping. The faculty is com-
posed of some of the strongest men in the country.
Rev. Edgar J. Penney is in] charge of the work;
assisted by Rev. B. H. Peterson. Rt. Rev. B. T.
Tanner, Rev. C. O. Boothe, D. D., and Rt. Rev.
George W. Clinton have been engaged to give a
regular course of lectures during each term. .

The members of. the Bible School are required
to do mission work on the Sabbath in the neigh-
boring churches—preaching and teaching in the
Sunday Schools whenever their services are
needed—and to make weekly reports in writing of
the work done. ,

It is not necessary to have a special call to the
ministry to enter the Bible School at Tuskegee.
Many who desire to do only missionary work or
to become intelligent teachers of the Bible in the

360 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK.

Sunday Schools, will be greatly beneﬁted and
helped; indeed, quite a few of those who are now
. members of this department are ﬁtting them-
selves for this kind of work.

The demand for an educated ministry is grow-
ing throughout the South, and those who expect
to preach must prepare themselves for the work.

This department was established for the
express purpose of giving colored men and
women a knowledge of the English Bible;
implanting in their hearts a noble ambition to go
out into the dark and benighted districts of the
South and give their lives for the elevation and
Christianizing of the South. Last year eighty-
three students attended this department. This
was the largest attendance since the department
was founded. . S

Last, but not least,I mention the Academic
Department, which offers a thorough course of
instruction, nearly, if not quite, equal to the high
school courses of the Northern and Western
States. N 0 language, however, except English,
is taught. It is our aim to correlate the work of
the Academic Department with the Industrial
Departments, and itis the policy of the school
not to give any student a diploma of graduation
who has not completed the course in at least one
division of one or another of the industrial
departments.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 361

Last year, of the 1,164 students who attended
the Institute, except a part of those in the Bible
Training School, all were taking studies in this
department, either in the night or day school,
they being about equally divided between the
night and the day school. .

The night school course is so arranged that a
student is enabled to do just half the amount of
work in night school as in day school. A student
in night school will therefore cover a year’s work,
as laid out for day school students, in two years.

In 1899 there were seventy-seven graduates
from all of the departments.

We received twenty thousand dollars from
Mr. Andrew Carnegie for a new library building.
Our ﬁrst library and reading-room were in a
corner of a shanty, occupying a space of about
ﬁve by twelve feet. It was ten years from my
ﬁrst effort before I was able to secure Mr. Car-
negie’s interest and help. The ﬁrst time I saw
him, ten years before, he seemed to take but little
interest in our school, but Iwas determined to
show him that we Were worthy of his help. The
following letter will explain itself:

December 15, 1900.
MR. ANDREW CARNEGIE,
5 W. Fifty-ﬁrst Street, New York.
DEAR SIR: Complying with the request which you
made of me when 1 saw you at your residence a few

' 362 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

* days ago I now submit in writing an appeal for a
library building for our institution.

We have 1 100 students, 86 ofﬁcers and instructors
together with their families, and about 200 colored
people living near the school, all of whom would make
use of the library building.

We have over 12,000 books, periodicals, etc., gifts
from our friends, but we have no suitable place for
them, and we have no suitable reading-room.

Our graduates go to work in every section of the
South,. and whatever knowledge might be obtained
in the library Would serve to assist in the elevation of
the Negro race.

Such a building as we need could be erected for
about $2o, 000. All of the work for the building, such
' as b1ickmaking, brick masonry, carpentry, blacksmith-
ing, etc, would be done by the students. The money
which you would give would not only supply the build-
ing, but the erection of the building would give a large
number of students an opportunity to learn the build-
ingtrades, and the students would use the money
paid to them to keep themselves in school. I do not be-
lieve that a Similar amount of money often could be
’ made to go so far 1n uplifting a whole race
If you wish further information, I shall be glad to
, furnish it.~ ~ . Yours truly,

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, Principal.

The next mail brought the following reply: “I
will be very glad to pay the bills for the library
building as they are incurred, to the extent of
twenty thousand dollars, and I am glad of the
opportunity to show the interest I have in your
noble work.”

 

 

 

 

CARNEGIE LIBRARY BUILDING.

 

 

 

John W. Robinson. Jas. N. Galloway.
Shepard L. Harris. Allen L. Burks.

The party that went to Africa in the employ of the German Government to teach
cotton raising in the German colony of Toga.

, BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 363

" As illustrating'the value of the work which we
are doing at Tuskegee, Iam glad to add that
I was agreeably surprised during the summer of
1900 to receive a letter from the German Consul,
at Washington, asking me to meet him for a con-
ference. In the conference it developed that his
government had heard of the value of the agri-
cultural work being done at Tuskegee, and that
he was c0mmissioned by the Committee of Agri- ’
culture of the German Government to secure
four persons from Tuskegee to go to Africa
to introduce cotton raising into the German
colony of Togo. After considering the matter
in all its details, Messrs. John W. Robinson,
Allen L. Burks, Shepard L. Harris as graduates
of the institution were selected, and with them
Mr. J. N. Galloway, who for a number of years,
had been in charge of one of the school farms,
went to serve as superintendent and execu-
,. tive manager of the enterprise. This experiment
is being watched with the greatest interest
throughout this country. Germany has an
African dominion amounting to 925,000 square
miles, which is a third larger than the total area
of the American cotton producing states. It has
been found‘that this territOry is fertile, fairly
well watered, and not too hot for cotton. Togo,
in which the experiment is being tried, is north
of the Gulf of Guinea and four hundred miles

364 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

north of the Equator. It is a little larger than
South Carolina and has an estimated Negro
population of two and one-half millions.

The party sailed from New York, November
3, 1900, carrying with them plows, hoes, cotton gin
and press, ties and several varieties of cotton seed.

The German government has enjoined secrecy
upon those interested in the experiment and so
no detailed information can be published aside
from the fact that the experiment is succeeding
admirably. "

Messrs. Robinson and Burks are graduates of
the academic and agricultural departments of
the school; Mr. Harris is a graduate of the
academic and mechanical departments. The
latter has charge of the matter of building gin
houses and such other structures as may be
needed.

It is true that the action is experimental, but
those engaged in it are most hopeful. The young
men under the careful guidance of Mr. Calloway
are perhaps the pioneers in a movement which
- may mean much in the economic history of the
world. The German government in committing
this, experiment to the hands of graduates of
Tuskegee has shown a breadth of view which is
appreciated. If any people can make a success
in cotton raising in West Africa, we believe that
the graduates sent out from Tuskegee will do it.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ’ 365

I cannot close this chapter without making
some special reference to the chapel at Tuskegee,
since this is regarded as the architectural gem of
the Tuskegee group of buildings. It was planned
by Mr. R. R. Taylor, who was then our teacher
in architecture and mechanical drawing. The
work of construction, even to the making of the
bricks, was done wholly by students. The cost
of erection of the building was valued at
$30,000. .

The following is a description of the building,
a cut of which is also given in this volume: The
plan of the chapel is that of a Greek cross, the
main axis extending from northeast to southwest.
The extreme dimension from northeast to south-
west, extending through nave and choir, is one
hundred and ﬁfty-four feet six inches. The dimen-
sion from northwest to southeast, through tran-
septs, is one hundred and six feet. The roof is of
the hammer beam construction. The clear span
of the main trusses is sixty-three feet, which is the
width of the nave and transept. The angle trusses
have a clear span of eighty-seven feet, projecti0ns
from the walls under trusses slightly decreasing
the span. The gallery on back is thirty feet Wide,
extending over girls’ cloak room and twelve feet
into main auditorium.

In the rear are choir room, study~ for minister,
and two small vestibules, one on either side of

_.~;§€"T"’3‘i‘
1 . ‘, ,
.-,’- d“ a '

7‘4““chapel giving entrance to choir room, study and

366 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

main auditorium. A large basement IS provided,
and in this the steam heating plant is located. At
the northeast end of the auditorium is the pulpit
platform, which is large enough to seat the entire
faculty of eighty-eight members. This platform
is two feet six inches above the main ﬂoor. Im-
mediately behind this and "elevated three feet
above it, is the choir stand, withseating capacity
for one hundred and ﬁfty persons. The chapel is
sufﬁciently supplied with windows to give abun-
dant light and ventilation, a very pretty effect
being secured by the use of delicately tinted
colored glass.

The woodwork is all of yellow pine with hard! '
oil ﬁnish, except the ﬂoor, which is of oak.‘ The,"
seating capacity of the auditorium is.2,4oo. One
million two hundred thousand bricks were used in
the construction, all made and laid by students.
All the mouldings, casings and caps used were
made by students. The ﬁoOr is bowled. The
height of the walls from top of ﬂoor is twenty-
four feet six inches; from ﬂoor line to highest
point of ceiling, forty-eight feet six inches. The
height of tower from line of ground to top of
Cross which terminates it, is'one hundred and
ﬁve feet. The electric lighting is from three
main chandeliers, with thirty lights each, ten of
two lights each, twelve of one light each, and:

 

A VIEW OF MACHINE SHOP. STUDENTS AT WORK. TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL
INSTITUTE.

 

HARNESS MAKING AND CARRIAGE DRESSING AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 367

from a reﬂecting disc of forty lights over the
choir stand. ,

Gradually, by patience and hard work, we have
brought order out of chaos, just as will be true
of any problem if we stick to it with patience and:
wisdom and earnest effort.

As I look back now over our struggle, I am
glad that we had it. I am glad that we endured .
all those discomforts and inconveniences. I am
glad that our students had to dig out the place
for their kitchen and dining-room. I am glad
that our ﬁrst boarding place was in that dismal,
ill-lighted, and damp basement. Had we started
in a ﬁne, attractive, convenient room, I fear we
would have “lost our heads” and become “stuck
up.” It means a great deal, I think, to build on
a foundation which one has made for himself.

When our students return to Tuskegee now,
as they often do, and go into our large, beautiful,
well ventilated, and well lighted dining-room, and
see tempting, well-cooked food——largely grown
by the students themselves—and see tables, neat
tablecloths and napkins, and vases of ﬂowers
upon the tables, and hear singing birds, and note
that each meal is served exactly upon the minute,
with no'disorder and with almost no complaint .
coming from the hundreds that now ﬁll our din-
ing- room, they, too, often say to me that they

are glad that we started as we did, and built
24

368 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ourselves up, year by year, by a slow and natural
‘ process of growth.

The school is regularly incorporated under the
name of “The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial ‘
Institute.” The charter was granted by special
act of the Legislature of Alabama. It provides
for a board of nineteen trustees. As now consti-
tuted (October, 1901), their names are:

George W. Campbell, President, Tuskegee,
Ala. ;.Rev G. L. Chaney, Vice- President, Leo:
minster, Mass. , Rev. R. C. Bedford, Secretary,
Beloit, Wis. , Warren Logan, Treasurer, Tuskei
gee, Ala. ,Lewis Adams, Tuskegee, Ala. ,Charles
W. Hare, Tuskegee, Ala.; Booker T. Washing-
ton, Tuskegee, A1a.; George Foster Peabody,
New York; Robert C. Ogden, New York; John
C. Grant, LL. D., Chicago, I11.; J. W. Adams,
Montgomery, Ala. , Rev. George A. Gordon,
D. D., Boston, Mass.; Rev. Charles F. Dole,
Boston, Mass.; J. G. Phelps Stokes, New York;
S. C. Dizer, Boston, Mass.; Wm. H. Baldwin,Jr.,
New York; R. O. Simpson, Furman, Ala. ; Hugh
H. Hanna, Indianapolis, Ind.

Mr. Campbell has been president of the bOard
from the beginning and, in the twenty years of
its history, has never missed a meeting.

CHAPTER XXIII.
._ LOOKING BACKWARD.

My work at Tuskegee has always been of a
three fold nature. First, the executive work of
the institution pr0per; second, the securing of
money with which to carry on the institution;
and, third, the education through the public press
and through public addresses of the white people
North and South as to the condition and needs
of the race. On the grounds, in addition to the
ordinary task involved in educating and disciplining
over a thousand students, is added the responsibil-
ity of training them in parental directions, involv-
ing systematic regulations for bathing, eating,
sleeping,.the use of the tooth brush and care of
health. In performing these duties, especially in
collecting money in the early'years, -I have often
met with many discouragements, but I early
resolved to let nothing cause me to despair c'om-
pletely.

The ﬁrst time I went North to secure money
for the Tuskegee Institute,I remember that on
my way I called to see one of the secretaries of
an organization which for years had been deeply
interested in the education of our people in the

369

370 THE STORY OF MYLIFE AND WORK,

South. I supposed, of course, that I should
receive a most cordial and encouraging reception
at his hands. Toimy surprise he received me
most coldly and proceeded to tell me in the
most discouraging tones possible that I had made
a mistake by coming North to secure aid for our
school, and he advised me to take the ﬁrst train
South. He said that I could not possibly succeed
in securing any funds for Tuskegee. In fact, he
told me very frankly that I would not secure
enough money to pay my traveling expenses. I
confess that this bucket of cold water thrown
upon me at a time when I needed encouraging
and sympathetic words more than anything else,
rather tended to take the heart out of me, but
I determined not to give up, but to keep pressing
forward, until I had thorOughly demonstrated ‘
whether or not it was possible for me to secure
funds in the North. I will not prolong this story
except to say that within a period of four years
after I was so coldly received by this secretary,
he introduced me where I was to speak at a
large public meeting in New York City in the
interest of Tuskegee; and, in introducing me to
the large audience, he used the most ﬂattering
language and praised me \without stint for the
successful work that I was engaged in doing. I
‘do not know whether he remembered, while he

BOOKER '1'. WASHINGTON. 371

was introducing me, that I was the young man
he had discouraged only four years before.

I shall never forget my ﬁrst experience in
speaking before a Northern audience. Before I
went North Gen. Armstrong had talked to me a
good deal about what to say and how to say it.
I shall always remember one of his injunctions,
which was, “Give them an idea for every word.”
When I ﬁrst went into the North to get money I
began work in one or two of the small towns in
the Western part of Massachusetts. As I remem-
ber it, the ﬁrst town that I reached was North-
ampton. As I expected to remain in the town
several days, my ﬁrst effort was to ﬁnd a colored
family with Whom I could board, but as very few
colored families lived in that town I found this not
an easy job. It did not once occur to me that I
'could ﬁnd accommodation at any of the hotels in
Northampton.

As an indication of Gen. Armstrong’s deep
interest and helpful inﬂuence in the establishment
and progress of this institution,I insert a letter
of recommendation he gave me to be used among
people in' the North. These letters were always
given most freely,and the General was constantly
in search of opportunities to serve the school:

372 'THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

“HAMPTON, VA., Oct. 26, 1891.

“This is to introduCe Mr. Booker T. Wash-
ington, the head of the Tuskegee, Alabama,
Colored Normal and Industrial School.

“It is a noble, notable work; the best product
of Negro enterprise of the century. I make this
statement advisedly. I beg a hearing for Mr.
Washington, he is a true ‘ Moses.’

“ As much as any man in the land, he is securing
to the Whole country the moral results which the
Civil War meant to produce.

“Tuskegee is the bright spot in the Black Belt
of the South. It is a proof that the Negro can
raise the Negro.

“S. C. ARMSTRONG.”

On the day before Gen. Armstrong was stricken
with the paralysis which ﬁnally resulted in his
de’ath,I remember that I met him on Beacon
Street, in Boston, and told him that some ladies
in New York were discussing the matter of
giving us a new building, but seemed somewhat
undecided as to the wisdom of doing so. I was
talking to the General about interceding in order
to get these friends to decide to furnish the
building. He seemed greatly interested in the
matter and promised to either see or communi-
cate With these New York ladies. Before we
ﬁnished our conversation, however, we were

BOOKER T. VJASHINGTON. 373

interrupted by some one and we did not ﬁnish the
talk about the building. The next day Gen.
Armstrong was stricken with paralysis, and no
one was permitted to see him for several days.
After several days had passed by, the doctors
seemed to be convinced that he could not live but
for a few hours, and I, in company with several
other persons, was allowed to see him in his room
at the Parker House. To my surprise, the
minute I entered the room, he took up the thread
of our conversation concerning the building where
it was broken off several days previously on
Beacon Street, and began at once advising how
to secure the building. The General did not
recover from this stroke of paralysis, but lived
about eight months after it. In January, 1893,
that is, about four months before he died, he came
to Tuskegee, or rather was brought to Tuskegee,
because he was too weak to travel alone, and
remained a guest at my home for three weeks.
During these weeks he suffered intensely at
times, but was always in good spirits and cheerful.
His heart was so wrapped up in the elevation of
the Negro that it seemed impossible to induce
him to take any rest. Most of the time when he
was not asleep he was planning or advising con-
cerning the interest of the black man, and Spent
much time in writing articles for newspapers and
to friends in the North. He was present during

374. THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK...

the session of our Negro Conference in February,
1893, and it was a memorable sight to see him
carried by the strong arms of four students up
the stairs of the chapel, and into the presence of
the Conference. The impression that the sight
of Gen. Armstrong made upon the members of p
the Conference is almost indescribable. All felt
as though he was their most strong and helpful
friend, and they had a conﬁdence in him/that they
had in no other being on earth. It was at this
Conference that Gen. Armstromg made his ﬁrst
attempt to speak in public after he was stricken
with paralysis, and his success in being heard and
understood was so encouraging that he spoke to
audiences on several other occasions.

I must not neglect to mention the manner in
‘ which Gen. Armstrong and Mr. Howe, the farm
manager at Hampton, were received at the school
on the occasion of this visit, for this was the
second visit that the General had made to the
school. Both students and teachers were most
anxious to do him all the honor possible, and for
several weeks previous to his coming we were
quite busily engaged in devising some plan to
‘ receive the General in a proper manner. At last
it was decided to ask the authorities of the Tus-
kegee Railroad to run a special train from
Tuskegee to Chehaw to meet the General. This
request the railroad authorities very kindly

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 375

granted. He arrived upon the school grounds at /
about nine o’clock at night. Each student and
teacher had supplied himself with a long piece of
light wood, or “ litted,” as the colored people are
in the habit of calling it. A long line was formed,
and when he came upon the school grounds, the
General was driven between two rows of students,
each one holding one of these lighted torches.
The effect was most interesting and gratifying.
f I think I never saw anything done for the General
which seemed to make him so happy and give
him such satisfaction as this reception

The ﬁrst public address that I delivered in the
North was in Chicopee, a town not far from
Springﬁeld. I spoke in the Congregational
Church in the morning, but was careful to com-
mit my entire address to memory. I was a little
embarrassed after the morning meeting was over
when several of the members of the congregation,
in congratulating me over my success, stated that
they had enjoyed my morning address so much
that they had planned to go to Chicopee Falls,
an adjoining town, to hear me speak in the
evening. As I had only the one address to
deliver one can easily see that I was in rather an
embarrassing position.

While the greater portion/of my speaking has
been before Northern White audiences, I also im-
proved every opportunity to speak to my own

376 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

people, both in the North and in the South. In
- fact, during the earlier years of the institutionl
I carried on a regular campaign of speaking among
the colored people in the South, going to their
churches, Sunday-schools, associations, institutes,
camp-meetings, conferences, etc. They did not,
as I have stated, take kindly to the idea of indus-
trial education at ﬁrst, and it was largely by
reason of my efforts in these public meetings that
I succeeded in converting them to the idea of
favoring it. At one time I hired a team and
took one of the older students with me, and we
drove for many miles, stopping at the homes of
individuals and at churches to explain to them
the work of the school.

The ﬁrst opportunity I had to speak to a
Southern white audience was on the occasion of
the gathering of the Christian Worker’s Con-
. vention, which was held in Atlanta, in 1893. It
seems that it was largely because of the impres-
sion that I made upon this audience in Atlanta
that the authorities of the Atlanta Exposition
were led to extend me an invitation to deliver an
address at the opening of that exposition. I shall
let an account given in the Christian World, pub-
lished in New Haven, Conn., take the place of
my own words in regard to this address before
the Christian Worker’s Convention: _

“Booker T. Washington, principal of the '

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 377

Tuskegee, Ala., Normal and Industrial Institute,
was given a place on the program at the Conven-
tion of Christian Workers held ,, at Atlanta, Ga.,
in 1893, for a ﬁve minutes report of progress, the
time being thus brief on account of the fact that
a full report with questions and answers covering
three-quarters of an hour had been given at the
Convention the year previous, held in Tremont
Temple, Boston. When he made the engage-
ment he doubtless expected to be either at Tus-
kegee, which is not far from Atlanta, or spending
the Convention days with other Christian Work-
ers in Atlanta. It came about, however, that he
fdund it necessary to make engagements in the
North immediately before and after the date on
which he was announced to speak at Atlanta. To
keep his Atlanta engagement it was necessary
that he should leave Boston for that city, reach-
ing there on the last train arriving before he was
announced to speak, and to return North on the
ﬁrst train leaving Atlanta after his brief address.
It was a great sacriﬁce for a ﬁve minutes’ ad-
dress. Mr. Washington said simply that it
was his duty to keep his appointment. It does
not appear that the fact that he would be com-
pelled to travel about ﬁve hundred miles for every
minute of his address, had much weight or even
consideration. To do his duty was not small or
unimportant. The results of this address were

373 ' THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

great, great beyond all human thought. Mr.
Washington has since stated that he had never
before made an address to the white people of
the South. His audience of over 2,0001eading”
Christian people, ministers, business men, legis-
lators, law makers, judges, ofﬁcials, representa-
tives of the press, from Atlanta, from Georgia
and from other states of the South,were charmed
by his personality and the passionate earnestness
with which he set forth the magniﬁcent scheme
of Christian effort at Tuskegee, and pleaded
for the upbuilding of his race under Southern
skies. This representative audience saw before
them a representative of his race such as they had
not been wont to see. His address was ﬂashed
over the wires by sympathetic press agents
through the South, and he probably never "before
spoke to a larger and more inﬂuential audience.
But in the providence of God there were still
greater results.”

I have always made it a rule to keep engage-
ments of a public nature when Ihave once made
a promise to do so. On one occasion I had an ,
appointment to speak in a small country church
not far from Boston. Just before night a severe
snow storm came up, and although" I knew this
storm would keep every one from the meeting, I
made it a point to be present. ‘When I got to
the church there was no one present except the

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 7 q '_ 7,379 i

sexton. The minister himself did not come, and
when I saw him later he was surprised to ﬁnd
that I had been at the church on the night
appointed, and told me he felt sure I would not
be present on account of the storm.

In the earlier days of therinstitution, of course,
it was a difﬁcult task to secure interviews with
persons of prominence and wealth in the North,
but Gen. Armstrong’s recommendations, which
he was always willing to give, in most cases
served to secure me a hearing. It was equally
difﬁcult in our early history to secure opportuni-
ties from ministers and others to speak before
their congregations. Such calls on ministers
were, of course, very numerous, and one can
hardly blame them for shutting out those with
whom they were not well acquainted. I have
often been surprised to note the number of irreﬁ
sponsible and unworthy colored men and women
who spend their time in the North attempting to
secure money for institutions that in many cases
have no existence; or when they exist at all, are
in such a feeble'and unorganized condition as in
no way to have a claim upon the generosity of
the public. Many of these schools, of course,
within a radius of a mile or two, do reasonably
good work, but I am quite sure the time has
come when the North should conﬁne its gifts
wholly to the larger and well organized institu-

380 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

tions which are able to train teachers or industrial
leaders who will go out and show these local
communities how to build up schools for them-
selves. Three or four hundred dollars given to
one local community may serve to help it for a
time, but there are a hundred thousand other
communities that need help just as much; scatter-
ing a few hundred dollars here and there among
local communities amounts to little in putting the
people upon their feet, but putting it intoa teacher
who will show the community how to help itself
means much in the way of the solution of our
problem.

The constant work of appealing to individuals,
speaking before churches, Sunday-schools, etc.,
gradually served to make the institution known
in most parts of the country. This was true to
such an extent that in. 1883 we received our ﬁrst
legacy of $500 through the will of Mr. Frederick
Marquand of Southport, Conn. This was a
most pleasant and gratifying surprise to us, as
we had no thought of any one’s remembering
us in this way. Since then, hoWever, hardly a
year has passed that we have/not been remem-
bered by a legacy. The largest sum that We
have received in this manner has been $30,000
through the will of Mr. Edward Austin, of Boston.
Mr. Austin’s case is another one which shows, as
I have already mentioned, that one should try to

BOOIEER T. WASHINGTON. 381

cultivate the habit of doing his duty to the full
extent each day and not worry over results.

I remember that the ﬁrst time I saw Mr. Austin
was about the year 1885 when the late Dr. W. I.
Bowditch, of Boston, gave me a letter to him.
At that time Mr. Austin gave me his check for
$50, but gave nothing between 1885 and 1896
and seemed to take little interest in the school,
in fact I had supposed that he had forgotten all
about us. I tried on several occasions to get
another audience with him but did not succeed.
In 1896, while in Boston, I was very much sur-
prised to receive an invitation from Mr. Austin
to call at his home. He was then very feeble,
being over ninety years of age, but he told me
that he had remembered us in his will, and that
as it would not be possible for him to live much
longer, we would likely come into possession of
the money within a reasonably short time, which
proved to be true. _

On another occasion, I walked a long distance
out into the country during a cold winter day, to
see a gentleman who lived near Stamford, Conn.
More than once, I was rather inclined to blame
myself for exposing my body to the, cold on what
might prove a fruitless journey. When I arrived
at the gentleman’s house rather late in the even-
ing, he gave me, after considerable hesitation, a
small check, but did not seem to take a great

382 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND'WORK,

deal of interest in the school. The following
year, however, I succeeded in obtaining from him
a check for a somewhat larger amount. His
interest, however, continued to grow from year
to year, so that in 1891 he surprised us all by
sending a check for $10,000. Up to that time
this was the largest single gift in cash that the
institution had ever received, and my readers can
well imagine that the receipt of this large. sum
caused a day of general rejoicing on the grounds
at Tuskegee.

I have referred already to the gift of $400
from a friend Who helped us when we were in an
embarrassing position. I might add that the
following year this same friend sent us a check
for $3,000, and since that time she and her sister
have given regularly to us $3,000 each year.
These two friends have done as much, if not
more, to keep the institution on a ﬁrm footing
than any one else that I know of.

I have had, in my eighteen years of experience
in collecting money for the Tuskegee Institute,
some very interesting episodes. On the whole,
collecting money is hard, disagreeable, wearing
work, but there are some compensations that
come from it. In the ﬁrst place, it brings one
into contact with some of the best people in the
world, as well as some of the meanest and most
narrow ones. Very often, when Ihave been in

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. 383

the North seeking money, I have found myself
. completely without cash. I remember one time
while in Providence, R. I., that when I had spent
all the money I had and was still without break-
fast, when, in crossing the streets, I found twenty-
ﬁve. cents near the sidewalk. Withlthis I bought
my breakfast, and with the added strength and
courage which that breakfast gave me, I went in
quest of donations for Tuskegee, and was» soon
rewarded by several large gifts.

As an example of the way in which I have
used my time from year to year, there have been
many Occasions when I have slept in three differ»
ent beds in one night, while traveling, through
different portions of the country. I give here a
portion of a schedule which I followed on a recent
lecture tour in the West. This will enable
my readers to judge whether or not to speak from
night to night is the easy job that many people
take it to be:

I spoke at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, January 19, 1900,
8 P. M., then took the II o’clock train for Cedar
Rapids, where I arrived in about twenty-ﬁve
minutes. Laid over in Cedar Rapids until 3:15.
o’clock, A. M., then took the Burlington, Cedar
Rapids & Northern railway for Columbus
Junction, where I arrived abdut 5 o’clock in the
morning, remaining in Columbus Junction until
abzgut 8 o’clock, When I took the Chicago, Rock

384 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

Island & Paciﬁc railway for Centerville, Iowa
‘ where I arrived at 12:37, January 20, much
fatigued and worn out from the long journey over
three different railroads. At 8 o’clock I again
spoke, and at 12:18 A. M. again took the train
for Chicago, where I was billed to speak twice
~the same day, and on the following morning I
took the train for a long journey westward, ﬁnally
ending in Denver, and in returning stopped off at
Omaha and other places.

During 1892 I was asked by Rev. Lyman
Abbott, D. D., editor of the Outlook, to write an
article for his paper which would let the country
know the exact condition and needs of the Negro
ministry in the South. In this article I told as
fully and frankly as I could,just what the condi-
tion of the ministry was mentally, morally and
religiously. A very large proportion of the
colored ministers throughout the country became
greatly incensed at what I said, feeling that I
had injured the Negro ministry very materially
by my plain language. For almost a year after
this article was written scarcely a Negro confer-
ence or association assembled in any part of the
country that did not proceed to pass resolutions
«condemning me and the article which I had written.
“This went on for some time ,but I was determined
not to in any way yield the position which I had

BOOKER T. \VASHINGTON. 385

taken, for the reason that I knew that I was right,
and had spoken the truth. At the time when the
discussion and condemnation of myself were at the

highest pitch, the late Bishop D. A. Payne, of the
A. M. E. Church, wrote a letter endorsing all the
statements which I had made, and adding on his
own account that I had not told the whole truth.
This of course added fresh fuel to the ﬂames and
the Bishop for several months came in for his
share of the condemnation.

At the present time, after the lapse of eight
years, Ifeel that the institution at Tuskegee and
myself personally have no warmer friends than
we have in the Negro ministers. Almost With-
out exception at‘ithe present time they acknowl-
edge that the article which I wrote has done the
whole body of ministers a great deal of good;
that bishops and other church ofﬁcers were made
to realize the importance of not only purifying
the ministry as far as possible, but demanding a
higher standard in the pulpit, so far as mental
education was concerned. I scarcely ever go
anywhere without receiving the thanks of min-
isters for my plain talk. They feel that they are
greatly indebted to me for much of the improve-
ment that has taken place within recent years.
Of course when it is considered that at the time
I wrote this article a very small proportion of
the colored ministers had had an Opportunity to

386 THE STORY .OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

secure systematic training that would give them
mental strength, and moral and religious stamina,
it could not have been expected that any large
proportion would have been ﬁtted in the highest
degree for the ofﬁce of ministers. The improve-
ment at the present time is constantly going on,
and within a few years I believe that the Negro
church is going to be quite a different thing from
what it has had the reputation of being in the
past.

At all times, during the discussion and condem-
nation of myself, there were not wanting strong
and prominent persons in different parts of the
country among our own race who stood valiantly
and bravely by the position which I had taken.
Among them, as leader, was Mr. T. Thomas F or-
tune, the editor of the New York Age. Mr.
Fortune in this matter, as in all other matters
where he has considered my position the correct
one, has defended and supported me without
regard to his personal popularity or unpopularity.
While he and I differ and have differed on many
important public questions, we have never allowed
our differences to mar our personal friendship.
In all matters pertaining to the welfare of our race
in the South I have always consulted him most
freely and frankly. For example, in the prepar-
ation of the open letter to the Louisiana State
Constitutional Convention, Mr. Fortune and

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ’ 387

myself sat up nearly one whole night at Tuske-
gee preparing this letter. I have seldom ever
given any public utterances to the country that
have not had his criticism and approval. His
help and friendship to me in many directions have
been most potent in enabling me to accomplish
whatever I have been able to do. i

In the same class with Mr. Fortune I would
put my private secretary, Mr. Emmet J. Scott,
who, for a number of years, has been in the closest
and most helpful relations to me in all my work.
Without his constant and painstaking care it
would be impossible for me to perform even a
very small part of the labor that I now do. Mr.
Scott understands so thoroughly my motives,
plans and ambitions that'he puts himself into my
own position as nearly as it is possible for one
individual to put himself into the place of another,
and in this way makes himself invaluable not
only to me personally but to the institution. Such
a man as Mr. Scott I have found exceedingly
rare, only once or twice in a lifetime are such
people discovered.

There is only one way for an individual to
collect money for a worthy institution, as there is
only one way for him to succeed in any line of
work, and that is to make up his mind to do his
duty to the fullest extent and let results take care
of themselves.

388 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

In the earlier years of the institution I called
to see a rich gentleman in New York, who did
not even ask me to take a seat, but in a gruff and
cold manner handed me two dollars, as if to say,
I give you this to get rid of you. “ Since that
time this same individual has given to Tuskegee
as much :13 ten thousand dollars in cash, at one
time. In other cases, where I found it impossible
to secure an audience, in the early days of this
work,I have since been sent for by these same
individuals and asked to accept money for the
institution. In many cases I have gone to indi-
viduals and presented our cause only to receive
an insult or the coldest and most discouraging
reception. Perhaps the. next individual on whom
I called would politely and earnestly thank me
for calling and giving him an opportunity to
..make a gift to Tuskegee.

During the early struggles of our work, in
many instances I went to ministers in the North
to secure opportunity to speak in their churches,
but received “N o ” for my answer. Often where
I have received such answers, Ihave since received
letters from these same ministers urging that I
would deliver lectures in their 'churches; and
naming large sums of money as compensation
formy lectures.

The institution has now reached a point where
it conducts all of its affairs on a more strictly cash

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ' 389

basis than in its earlier years; in fact, the general
- policy of the school at present is to undertake no
enterprise in the way of improvements until it
has the money in hand for such improvements.
This policy could not be carried out very well in
the early years of the school, when we were so
hard pressed for buildings. One thing which I
have always thought has helped us a great deal
is that we have always made it a point to have
the strictest and most approved system of book-
keeping in connection with all of our ﬁnancial
transactions. Our books have been at all times
open to the inspection of the public. In account- 7
ing for our income and expenditures, Mr. Logan,
our Treasurer, from the ﬁrst has been of the
highest service to the institution. We have never
allowed any carelessness in the matter of book-
keeping.

Ihave often been asked by young men how
they can succeed in this or that direction. My
advice to them is to make up their minds care-
fully, in the ﬁrst place, as to what they want to do,
and then persistently devote themselves to accom-
plishing that end, letting nothing discourage them.
If I may be allowed a little pardonable pride in
connection with this statement, I would add, to
show how mistaken that secretary was who
attempted to discourage me by telling me that I
would not secure enough funds to pay my travel-

390 THE STORY OF MY LIFE AND WORK,

ing expenses, that since the institution at Tuske-
gee was started I have collected myself, or been
instrumental in causing others to help me secure,
all told, fully $1,000,000 for the permanent plant,
endowment and the annual expenses of Tuskegee.
Were I to attempt to give an account of all the
ways and means by which individuals have tried
to discourage me since I began at Tuskegee, this
little book would contain little else than that. I
have always found it easy to ﬁnd people who
could tell me how a thing could not be accom-
plished, but very hard to ﬁnd those who could
tell me how a thing could be accomplished. In
my opinion the world is much more interested in
ﬁnding people who know how to accomplish
something than those who merely explain why it
is impossible toaccomplish certain results.

I have been asked many times how I have
succeeded in this thing or in that thing. In almost
every case I have replied that it has required
constant, hard, conscientious work. I consider
that there is no permanent success possible with—
out hard and severe effort, coupled with the
highest and most praiseworthy aims. Luck, as I
have experienced it, is only another name for
hard work. Almost any individual can succeed
in any legitimate enterprise that he sets his heart
upon, if he is willing to pay the price, but the
price, in most cases, is being willing to toil when

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. ’ *449

others are resting, being willing to work while
others are sleeping, being willing to put forth the
severest effort when there is no one to see or
applaud. It is comparatively easy to ﬁnd people
who are willing to work when the world is look-
ing on and ready to give applause, but very hard
to ﬁnd those who are willing to work in the
corner or at midnight, when there is no watchful
eye or anyone to give applause.

I end this volume as I began, with an apology
for writing it. It is always highly distasteful to
me to speak about myself, and in writing What I
have, I have attempted in a small degree, at least,
to subordinate my own personal feelings with a
View to giving the public as much information as
possible. I hope that some permanent good will
result from my effort.

 

*Fifty-eight pages are here added to the folios to include full page
halftones not before numbere .

SUPPLEMENT.

PRINCE HENRY’S EAGERNESS TO MEET BOOKER
T. WASHINGTON.

 

This is best given in Rear Admiral Evans’ own words as
it appears in McClure’s Magazine, May, 1902. He says in part:
“The ﬁrst request made by Prince Henry after
being received in New York was that I should
arrange to give him some of the old Southern
melodies, if possible, sung by the negroes; that
he was passionately fond of them, and had been
all his life—not the rag-time songs, but the old
negro melodles Several times during his trip I
‘ carry out his wishes, with more or
leggm .. ‘T'{,Tbu't ﬁnally, at the Waldorf- Astoria,
the Hampton singers presented themselves in one
of the reCeption- rooms and gave him a recital of
Indian and Negro melodies. He was charmed.
And while I was talking to him just after 21
Sioux Indian had sung a lullaby, he suddenly
turned and said. ‘Isn’t that Booker T. Washington
over there?’ I recognized Washington and re-
plied that it was, and he said: ‘Evans, would
you mind presenting him to me? 'I know how
some of your people feel about Washington, but
450

  

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. _ 451

I have always had great sympathy with the
African race, and I want to meet the man I re-
gard as the leader of that race.’ So I went at
once to Washington and told him that the Prince
wished him to be presented, and took him my-
self and presented him to the Prince. Booker
Washington sat down and talked with him for fully
'ten minutes, and it was a most interesting con-
versation—one of the most interesting I ever
heard in my life. The ease with which Wash-
ington conducted himself was very striking, and
I only accounted for it afterwards when I remem-
bered that he had dined with the Queen of Eng-
land two or three times, so that this was not a
new thing for him. Indeed, Booker Washington’s
manner was easier than that of almost any other
man I saw meet the Prince in this country. The
Prince afterwards referred to President Roose-
velt’s action in regard to Booker Washington,
and applauded it very highly.”

Among other things Prince Henry asked Mr.
Washington whether the songs he had heard
were in printed form. An afﬁrmative answer
being given, he requested that a copy be sent
him. Turning to the students he said in part.

“I thank you very much for your beautiful
songs, which I have enjoyed hearing. I believee
music is a gift from heaven to men and women,
and I do hope you will cherish your melodies, in
order that they may be perpetuated.”

452 THE STORY on MY LIFE AND/WORK.

Theinterview with Mr. Washington attracted
the attention of the entire throng, and when the
Associated Press gave the news to the country,
the leading journals began to discuss the incident
as an event of international importance.

Reaching Boston to look after some matters
relating to Tuskegee Institute, Mr. Washington,
in response to questions bearing upon his pre-
sentation to Prince Henry said:

“As I understand it the Prince asked Rear
Admiral Evans to have me presented to him
mainly for the reason that he wanted to talk with
me concerning the work of the Tuskegee gradu-
ates who are introducing the raising 0f cotton in
the German-African colony. The Prince also
spoke of being deeply interested in the progress
of the Negro in America, about which he asked
many questions. He also asked me to send him
a copy of my autobiography and a volume of the
plantation songs. He said that few things had
pleased him so much as the singing of the Hamp-
ton students, and expressed an earnest wish that
the songs might not be permitted to die.”

INDEX.

453

PAGE. PAGE.
A Bruce, Senator B. K ...... 193
/Academic Department at Brussels .................. 274
Tuskegee .......... . . . .. 36o Bryce, James ............. 275
Adams, Lewis .......... 63 Butfalo,1 N. Y ............. 187
Addresses (See Speeches)?” Buildings at Tuskegee,
JAfrica, emigration to. .280, 364 put up by students ...... 71
Agricultural Department, Bullock, Gov. of Ga., 135,
--------------------- 351 136.....................153
AlZabama H311. 79. 80 81, Burroughs, Jones ......... 18
...................... 97 Business League. 309
Alumni Dinner ........... 179
Ancestors ................ 31 C
Antwerp ................. 274
Appropriation, ﬁrst for Campbell, G. W ---------- 73
Tuskegee ............... 57 Carnegie Andrew -------- 36I
1/ Armstrong, Gen. Samuel Carnegie Hall ............ 170
C., 37, 47, 51 8o 93, 251, Carney, Sargeant Wm. H,
371; letter from, 372; 207, 211 ................. 212
visits Tuskegee ......... 373 Carver G W ...... 79. 213, 351
Armstrong Hall .......... 96 Chapel at Tuskegee ...... 365
Atlanta, Exposition, 125; Charleston, W. Va ........ 295
Washington speaks at Chicago, Peace Jubilee, 225, 229
126; Negro building in, Choate JOSBPh H 25.1275
128; reception .......... 296 Christian Endeavor Asso- ,
JAtkinson, Governor G. W. 136 ciation ......... 186,189, 190
Attucks, Crispus .......... 225 Christian Workers’ Confer-
Auditorium, Chicago. .224, 230 ence, address before. . .. 376
- / Cleveland, Grover, 154;
B letter from. . . . .. . . . .156, 337
. Clock, Set back ........... 25
Baldwm, Wm. H-r address Coal mining .............. 26‘
1n New York by ------ 342-646 College education. . . .‘ ..... 199
Baptist Church Washing- /Conference, Workers’, 269:
ton 301115 ------ ' --------- 31 Negro Farmers’ ..... 255, 268
Bath ..................... 42 Cotton States Exposition 125
Belgium ----------------- 273 ﬁrystal Palace ............ 276
Eibllie ’lgaiﬁlgsgflooln 358 339 uba students from ...... 222
IC ne OS ........ 3 urr ’ L M.H.'. ‘ I, 21
Black Belt....53. 180, 256, 260 /C y I 79 9 3
‘ Boston ................... 175 D
Boyhood days ............ 16 _
Brewer, Miss Elizabeth” 41 Davidson, Oliv1a A., 61,
Brickmaking at Tuskegee" 71 64, 79, 8 ,..‘. . ........ 92
Brickyard ...... . . ........ 354 Debatmg societies ..... 39, 44

 

454 INDEX.
.- _ . PAGE. PAGE.
1/ Domestic sc1ences ......... 356 Harper, Pres. Wm. R.,
Donations ................ 390 158 . ‘ .................... 224
Douglass, Frederick, 104; Harvard University...175. 182
his letter to Mrs. Stowe, 105 Harrison, Benj. F ........ 274
(Du Bois, Dr. W. E. B.... 271 Holland .................. 273
* Dunbar, Paul Lawrence.. 271 Howell, Clark ......... 149, 151
Durham, N. C., address Huntington, C. P ..... 346,. 355
before college ....... 190 Huntsville, Ala., meeting
E at, 296; address at. . . .. . 297
~./ Educational Association, I
National ............. 83, 187
Eliot Pres Chas W let- Illgzzations, table of ..... 9
ter from ................ 17 n \ ------------------- 449
Endowment, permanent, ‘ Indiansgt Hampton ...... 48
335; meeting concern- *Indus‘c/ial conditions at
ing, in New York, 336; Tuskegee ............ 95, w
amount of .............. 346 Industrial Department at
England . 5 ........ 275’ 279’ 280 Tuskegee ............... 354
Essex Hall, London ...... 275 Industrial education” 114, 123
Europe ........ . .......... 271 Introduction .............. 5
Examination. 38 Ireland, Archbishop” 274
F J
Family ------------------- 22 Janitor ......... K .......... 3 8
Firm. ﬁrslfh pafyment on, 6 Jubilee, at Chicago ....... 234
. o; grow 0 .......... 1
Father, white man ........ 32 L
Fifty-fourth Mass. Reg,
20 , 20 , 20,210 ........ 211 . . ,,
First? schsool.9. ............ 2 13131651va Pulslman Gain. .. 232
Fisk University, lecture ,La y enry omerse " “ 27
before ...... 113 . Land,granted by Congress, 336
*/ Fortune, T. Thomas ...... 386 Letter, to ESTIitOI‘L Tﬂi'
Fort Wagner, 204, 207, 209, man, 159—1. 9’. O oulSI'
210 ................. 226 ana Const1tut1onal Con-
Freedom to slaves. . ' ' 2o vention, 215‘221 ; to Age-
””"" Herald, 233—236; from
G Pres. McKinley’s private
. sect'y, Porter, 252, 253;
Garrlson, Wm. .Lloyd. . .. 314 from Charleston, W.
Gllman, Pres. D. C ....... 144 Va .................. 292_295
Grady, Henry ........ I48, 282 Lecture BureauS, proposi_
Graduates Address, at
H tions from .............. 156
ampton vvvvvvvvvvvvv 47 Lecture Tour, schedule of.. 383
H Liberla. . . .._ .............. 280
Librar Buildin ........ 61
Hamilton Club, Chicago, Life aty Hamptog ......... 341
. Washington a. guest of.. 158 Literary society, Washing-
Hampton InStltute, 37; ton, D. 0., address be-
Exhibit ............. 130, 146 fore .................... 173

INDEX

PAGE.
Lodge, Henry Cabot...... 179
Logan, Warren ........ 77, 78
London .................. 275

Long, Secretary, his ad-
dress at Tuskegee. . .249, 250

Lord, Miss Nathalie ...... 41

Louisiana, State Constitu-
tional Conventidn ....... 215

Lynching, address to

Southern people con-
cerning, 281, 282, 283;
number of, in U. S., 284,
285; in IllinOiS. n . q o I o 1 o u 286

M

Mackie, Mary F... .36, 41, 81

McKinley, Pres. Wm., 193,
224; at Tuskegee, 239—
254; his address at Tus-

kegee ............... 243—249
MacCorkle, Gov. W. A. . . . 306
Madison, Wis ............. 83

Malden, W. Va., Washing-
ton’s new home, 20, 21;

teacher at ............ 43, 296
,./Manual labor, 60; opposi-
tion to .................. 70
Marshall, Gen. J. B. F.,
41, 62, 74, 81. ........ 94
Marshall farm ......... 352, 353

z/Master of Arts, degree
granted by Harvard. . .. 178
Mechanical Department... 353

Mitchell, Father .......... 268 ‘
Miles, Gen. Nelson A ..... 179
Montgomery, Ala., recep-

tion at ................. 296
Mortgage system ......... 256
Mother, 39; Death of ..... 40
Murray, Miss Maggie J. . . 111
Music ............. .......357

N

Name, Washlngtons .24, 25
/Nat10nal Educational As-
sociation, at Madison,
Wis, 83; at Buﬁalo, N.
Y., 187, 189; Negro Bus-
iness League, 309; Chris-
tian Endeavor Associa-
tion ....... 186, 189, 190

.455

PAGE
Negro Building, at Atlanta
Exposition ..... 129, 130, 146
Negro Conference, 173,
255; Washington’s in-
vitation to, 256; declara-
tions adopted by, 260—
264; short addresses at,
266—268 ................. 307
Negro, faithful to trust, 30;
emigration to Africa,
105; his right, 198; per

cent. of crime by ....... 283
New Orleans ............. 296
Night School ........... 47, 361
Normal School ......... 57, 61
Nurse Training Depart-

ment ............ 356

P

Page, Thomas Nelson. . 145
Page, Walter H .......... 341
Paris ..................... 274
Peabody Fund ............ 91
Peace Conference ......... 274
Peace Jubilee ............. 234
Penn I Garland, 129, 130,

131 ..................... 135
Philadelphia, exhibit at... 175
Porter, Gen. Horace ...... 274
Porter Hall ...... 64a 681 77) 97

Porto Rico, students from, 222

/Post Graduate address at

Hampton ............... 47
Program, daily at Tus-
kegee ..................

99
1/ Program,Busmess League, 333

Q

Quotations, from newspapers.
Boston Globe ............ 186
Boston Post ............. 185

Boston T ransoréot, I 51 ,
152,208 .............. 322
Bnﬂato C onrzer ......... 188
Bnﬂalo Express ..... 187, 315
Canton Reposztory ...... 196

C harleston News and
Courier .............. I 89

C nz'oago - T ﬁnes-Herald
................... 229—232

456 IN DEX.

PAGE.
Colored Amerz'oan ...... 183
London Dazly Citron-
zole .’ .............. 276—279
Nas/zwlle Amerzcan, 114—123
New York Times ....... 186
New York World, 146~
................ 149—151
NI 4Y. Onlloolz .......... 313
Rzonmona’ Planet ....... 153
Sﬂrz'ng/z‘ela’ Republican. . 317
Texas Freeman ......... 152
Wasnz'ngton Post....... 193
, R

Rape ........ 284, 285, 287, 289
'Reed, Thomas B .......... 127

Richmond, Va., Washing-
ton in .................. 35
Rockefeller, John D ..... 348
Ruffner, Mrs. Viola ....... 27
Roosevelt, Theodore. . . . . . 227

_ S

Salt ............. 26
Salt mining ............... 24

Saratoga Springs, Wash-
ington waiter at... ..... 42
Savage, Dr. Minot ........ 179
Sawmill . . .. .............. 94
School ........ . ........... 24
Schurz, Carl .............. 341
”Scott, E. J ................ 387
Shanty ................ 23, 67
Shaw Monument .......... 201

Shaw, Robert Gould, 201,
203, 207, 209 ............ 211

Sid e w a l k, Washington
sleeps under ............
Slater-Armstrong Build-

 
 
  
 

1ng ..................... 353
Slater Fund ....... 79, 213, 222
aver"“";.w. " I8

 

Smith, Postmaster . Gen-
eral, his address at Tus-

kegee ............... 2 50, 251
Spanish-American War,
223 ..................... 227

Speeches and addresses of
Booker T. Washington,
at the North, 80; at Na-
tional Teachers’ Associ-

PAGE.

ation, 83. 84; at Fisk
University, 114; at At-
lanta, 137—143; before
Hamilton Club, 158; at
New York, 170—172; at
Alumni dinner, Harvard,
180—182; before National
Christian Endeavor Con-
vention, Washington, D.
C., 186; before National
Educational Association,
at Buffalo, 187; b’efore
. Brooklyn Institute of
Arts, 190; before Dur-
ham, N. C., College, 190;
at Washington, D. C.,
197; at dedication of
Shaw Monument, 202—
208; open letter to Louis-
iana Constitutional Con-
vention, 215—221; to Re-
gents of New York Uni-
versity, 221; at Chicago
. Peace Jubilee, 225—229;
to Age-Herald, 233-236;
before Birmingham,
Ala., Lyceum, 271, 272;
before National Farmers’
Association, 272; in Bos-
ton, 271; in Paris, 274; at
Essex Hall, London, 275;
at Huntsville, 297—306:
at New York on Endow-
ment Fund, 347; State

Tuskegee,Washingtongoes
to, 51; begins work
at, 53; location and his-
tory of, 54; ﬁrst year, 59;

\

Fund ................ 57, 71
4Statisti'cs ......... 350,351,352
Stepfather ................ 26
Students at Tuskegee,

number of .............. 104
Sunday School ............ 25
Surname, Washington’s. .. 24

:> T
Teaching, Washington at

Malden ................
Tillman, Senator, address

to ................... 159—169

INDEX.

PAGE.

described. 75; history of
from 1884 to 1894, 88, 89;
exhibit at Atlanta, 130;
President McKinley’s
visit to, 239-254; citizens
of, 252; Negro Confer-

ence at ............. 255,
V

Vacation in Europe .......

Valuable lessons ....... 41,

Virtue, bathing promotive
of ......................

Washington, Booker T.,
birth and childhood, 13;
his mother, 14; btirh-
place, 15; his dress, 16;
in school, 24; naming
himself, 24; joins Baptist
Church, 31; ancestry un-
known, 31; father, a
white man, 32; starts for
Hampton, 35; death of
his mother, 40; gradu-
ates from Hampton, 41;
waiter at Saratoga
Springs, 42; studies law,
46; teaches at Hampton,
47;at Tuskegee, 53; ﬁrst
marriage, 65; death of
ﬁrst wife, 66; second
marriage, 102; death of
second wife, 100; third
marriage, 112; chosen to
deliver address at Atlanta
Exposition, 131; trip to
Atlanta. 133; his address
at Atlanta. 137—143;
judge in Educational
Department at Atlanta
Exposition, 144; his let-

265

271
42

42

457

_ PA
ter to Senator Tillman,
159—169; at Harvard
University, 178; receives
degree A. M. from Har-
vard, 179; his address at
Alumni dinner, 180—182;
urged for Cabinet posi- ‘
tion, 193; refuses polit-
ical appointment, 197 ; his
speech at Shaw Monu-
ment, 202—208; at Chi-
cago, 225—229; letter to
Age-Herald, 233—236; .
personal experiences,
237, 238; visits President
McKinley, 241; visit to
Europe, 273; addresses
in Europe, 274, 275; let-
ter to the Southern peo-
ple on Lynching, ’281—
290; reception by South-
ern cities ............ 295,

Washington, Mrs. Fannie
N. Smith. 65; her death. . 66

296’

washington, Mrs. Olivia
Davidson. 102 ; death
of.......... ............ 100

Washington, Mrs. Maggie
Murra .................
Washington, John H., 40;
goes to Hampton, 44;
business agent, 78; direc-
tor of industries. .. . .354, 355
Washington, Portia ....... 65
Wayland Seminary ......
West Virginia, Washing-
ton removes to, 20;
stumps the state ........ 45
Wilson, Hon. James A. . .. 212
Wheeler, Gen. Joseph ..... 243

III

Wolcott, Gov. Roger A. . . 179
Woodward, Thomas S... . 54
Work, all students required

to ...................... 69

/ Workers’ Conference. .269, 270

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barn......... 1
Chapel and Assembly Room. 2
New Trades Building (Slater—
Armstrong Memorial)........... 3
Agricultural Hall 4
Teacher’sCottage................ 5
TeachersCottage................ 6
TeachersCottage..... 9

Teacher’s Cottage..... .....10
Teacher’s Cottage................11
Barracks—Boys Dormitory. .. . .12
Teacher’s Cottage................13
Teacher’s Cottage................14

 

Eincipal’ s Residen n.ce.... .15
oys Cottage..16 17 19 20. 21, 22

Pavilion and Assembly Room
(burned)
Present Boys’ Hospital..........23
Boys Dormitory..........
Boys Dormitory.......... 5)
Science Hall Laboratory and
Recitation Rooms
Phelp’s Hall Bible- -training

 

5Ch001.... - . ------}--27
Library and Reading Room. ....28
[‘eacher’sCottage................29

I‘eacher’.sCottage.......... .. 30

Domestic Science Building......31
(in course of erection).

Teacher 5 Cottage................32

 

     

 

   

 

~ “WNW
“N,” v ‘j‘x
! H

BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS OF

TUSKEGEE NORMAL AND
,NDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE,

. TUSKEGEE. ALABAMA.

i
31
3

 

Girls’ Rooms........... ...........33
Admsinéstrationn Building (pro-
pose

Porter Hall Ofﬁces and Recita-
tion Rooms.........
Olivia Davidson Hall, Boys’

D0rmitory.......... ........3
Mattress Factory.................37
Saw M11138
Machine Shop....................39
Lumber Shed.....................4O

 

Boys Bath Rooms......
Diet Kitchen and Recitation
Rooms...........................42
Teacher’s Cottage................43
Teacher's Cottage................44

 

Teacher’s Cottage.......... ....45
Present Girls’ Hospital. .........46
Boys’ Cottage.....................47
Teacher’s Cottage... 8
Proposed Hospital Building....49
Alabama Hall Girls’ Dormitory50
The Annex. Girls’ Dcrmitory...51
Hamilton Cottage. Girls’ Dor-
mitory..... 52
Steam Laundry................_...53
Parker Model Home for Senior

Girls............. .....5
Huntington Hall “Girl‘s .Dor-
mitor r.y .. .

Teacher 5 MCott'age....... 56. 57

 

 

 

 

 

13,4
'43

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