So I was going to post this paper about Booker T. Washington on his birthday: April 5. But then, realizing that I would never remember to do that when the time came, I decided to go ahead with it now. Enjoy!

“The happiest people are those who do the most for others. The most miserable are those who do the least” said Booker T. Washington, a famous advocate for african-american rights and founder of Tuskegee University. Booker’s childhood was haunted by racism, lack of education, and poverty. Later, after graduating from multiple universities, Booker moved his focus to spreading his education to the rest of the african-american population. He died at age fifty nine after making many accomplishments in that time. He is famed today throughout America for these many accomplishments.

Booker T. Washington’s childhood was full of trials and hardships. Growing up as a slave on the Burroughs farm meant he was constantly beaten and scorned and was unable to receive the education he longed for. His mother, Jane Ferguson, was a slave, and his father was an unknown white man. Shortly after Booker’s birth on April 5, 1856, Jane married Washington Ferguson. Over the following years, the two slaves parented Amanda, John, Booker, and James. For nine years Booker suffered from extreme racism in the southern United States. Finally, the Emancipation Proclamation declared that, “All persons held as slaves…are, and henceforward shall be free”. But freedom did not come easily to the Ferguson family. Booker worked hard as a salt packer, coal miner, and houseboy, giving his small income to his family to keep them alive. For Booker, growing up meant suffering injustice against his race, lacking an education, and working hard to support his family.

However, Booker’s whole life was not without education. In 1866, he went to live as a houseboy for Lewis Ruffner, the owner of the coal mine Booker used to work at. Lewis’s wife Viola, greatly encouraged Booker to study and she herself educated him on topics such as religion and hygiene. Booker moved on from this in 1872, age 16, when he joined the Hampton Normal Agricultural Institute, an organization with the goal of educating freed african-americans. There he met Samuel Armstrong, who helped with his education financially by arranging him a scholarship, although Booker still worked as a Janitor to pay for his room and board. During his time at the HNAI, he excelled at public speaking and debate. He was so good at these fields of study, that he was chosen to speak at his commencement. After graduating in 1875 from HNAI with honors, Booker returned home to finish his education with eight months of study at the Wayland Seminary. Finally, after 13 long years of study, at age 23, Booker T. Washington’s education was complete, and he moved into the next stage of his life.

Booker had just finished his education and was eager to use his knowledge. In 1881, he became the head of the newly founded Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama. The school didn’t have any dormitories, classrooms, dining halls, or chapel. Under Booker’s skillful lead however, these were all built within a few years. His school offered both academic and practical classes such as carpentry and farming for males, and cooking and sewing for females. He held his position as head of the african-american school for the rest of his life. By the time he died, his many travels and talks had caused the growth of the school to launch to more than 1500 students. Tuskegee University still runs with 3000 students today due to Booker’s wise leadership.

Not only was Booker T. Washington successful educationally, and in his later life financially, but he was also successful in his advocation for african-american rights. Strangely, Booker did not advocate for immediate political equality between differently colored races, but rather, he claimed that african-americans should concentrate on demonstrating their equality through education, hard work, and material prosperity. In his famous Atlanta Exposition, a speech given to encourage african-americans and plead with southern whites, Booker said, “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 professions… It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top.” Because of these odd beliefs, many people, including W. E. B. Du Bois, another adamant opposer of racism, vocally undermined Booker. Du Bois believed that african-americans should take a more vocal and bold approach to the topic of racism and hated Booker’s quieter methods. Although Booker was a major leader of the civil rights movement and influenced many of the decisions concerning this topic, several men opposed his peaceful tactics.

Not only did Booker’s education and career have many ups and downs, but so did his personal life. On his free time, Booker wrote many books such as, “Up From Slavery”, “Character Building”, and, “The Man Farthest Down” which were highly esteemed among many different ages, races, and personalities. Additionally, he married three times. In 1882, he married Fannie Smith, who bore him a daughter, Portia, before dying in 1884. It didn’t take long for him to re-marry – this time to the assistant principal of Tuskegee University: Olivia Davidson. She gave him Booker, Jr., and Ernest, before she too passed away after only four years. For the last time Booker married. This time it was to Margaret Murray, who had taken Olivia’s role of assistant principle of Tuskegee after her death. It was not until 1925 that Margaret died, though she gave no children to her husband. Overall, Booker’s personal life had many different feelings, hardships, and joys.

After a long fifty nine years of hard work and accomplishments Booker T. Washington passed away. On November 5, 1915 Booker’s heart failed him. Knowing that death awaited, Booker traveled quickly to Tuskegee, the pride of his life. On November 14, nine days after the tragedy, Booker died. His funeral was held in the Tuskegee chapel with nearly 8,000 people attending. He was buried on a hill with a view of the entire Tuskegee campus.

Booker T. Washington, born on April 5, 1856, is known throughout America for his strange beliefs on racism, and his educational accomplishments. He went through many ups and downs in his career as well as his personal life before he passed away on November 14, 1915 at the age of fifty nine. One of the many sayings people know him for is, “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”. Booker T. Washington’s many accomplishments and standards were highly esteemed and continue to live on in society today.