Analysis Of Booker T. Washington - 1766 Words

One of the most influential leaders in American education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was Booker T. Washington. Washington excelled in the areas of teaching, writing and public speaking. It was through these avenues that he influenced countless numbers of people. During his lifetime, he was a national leader for the betterment of African-Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. In Washington’s book, Up from Slavery, he chronologically tells his life and how he rose from a slave to become accomplished in the areas of education and public speaking. In a very straightforward yet strong voice, he details the many obstacles he overcame throughout his life and how they contributed to his success. Washington’s†¦show more content†¦When Freedom came, neither the slaves nor the masters were equipped to handle the new life (Washington, 1995). While the African Americans were free, they didn’t have any resources, home or education an d were not use to the responsibilities. Many made deals to work for their old masters. Most of their masters were not use to manual labor, hadn’t specialized in a specific industry and didn’t know how to cook, sew, or care for a house. However, Washington’s family made a long and difficult trip to Malden, West Virginia to live with his stepfather. His surroundings were even bleaker than when he was enslaved and he was forced to work in the salt mines. He was determined to learn though and taught himself out of a book at home. He also made arrangements with a teacher for at night after his work was done. He was even permitted to attend school during the day for a short period, until he was needed to devote all his time to work. Washington (1995) stated, â€Å"There was never a time in my youth, no matter how dark and discouraging the days might be, when one resolve did not continually remain with me, and that was a determination to secure an education a t any cost.† (p. 18). Washington heard of a great school for his race, the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, where poor students could work off their room and board and be taught a trade or industry (Washington, 1995). Washington thought it must be â€Å"the greatest place