Booker T. Washington renowned educator, author and African-American
leader released his autobiographical classic Up From Slavery in 1902. While undoubtedly a historic figure in
American History Washington was also controversial, one criticized aspect of
him was his stance on labor and black-white relations. In chapter 10 of Up From Slavery titled “A Harder Task Than Making Bricks Without
Straw” Washington delves deeper into his thoughts on labor. Washington
believed that it was essential for blacks to learn a trade rather than to
indulge in literary academics. The belief of teaching students labor is written
in the beginning of the chapter when Booker T. writes
“My plan was to have
them, while performing this service, taught the latest and best methods of labor,
so that the school would not only get the benefit of their efforts, but the
students themselves would be taught to see not only utility in labor, but
beauty and dignity, would be taught, in fact, how to lift labor up from mere
drudgery and toil, and would learn to love work for its own sake. My plan was
not to teach them to work in the old way but to show them how to make the
forces of nature—air, water, steam, electricity, horse-power --- assist them in
labor” – Booker T. Washington
Washington had students construct the Institutes many buildings
and while many opposed this idea of having inexperienced students work construction
the plan never changed. Washington felt the experience of building was
essential for the student. Washington
believed that an emphasis on labor would better prepare black people to contribute
to their respective communities immediately and more effectively than book
knowledge, Washington wrote that
“The actual sight of a
first class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of
discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build.
There was much controversy however on Washington’s firm
stance on the importance of labor to the advancement of black people. Many
parents who sent their children to Tuskegee Institute were against the idea of
their child predominantly being taught various trades of labor. Most likely
this belief stemmed from slavery being abolished only abolished 37 years
before, with the overall majority of slaves not being permitted and only knowing
labor it is understandable why they would be opposed to idea of sending their
student to school to do more labor. Washington writes on this matter and subtly
criticizes the parents decision
“Most of the new
student brought a written or a verbal request from their parents to the effect
that they wanted their children taught nothing but books. The more books, the
larger they were, and the longer the titles printed upon them, the better
pleased the students and their parents seemed to be”
Washington, T. Booker. (1902). A Harder Task Thank Making Bricks Without Straw” Lyman Abbott (Ed.), Up From Slavery (pp. 108-112)
On September 18th, 1895 Booker T. Washington
delivered his historical Atlanta Exposition speech. The speech is considered
one of his most acclaimed achievements. Booker T. Washington is generally
celebrated for being the keynote speaker and delivering an historic speech,
there some controversy. Most famously W.E.B DuBois but through out history
there has been much discussion concerning Washington ’s message. DuBois like other
critics felt that Washington
compromised to much especially considering that slavery had just ended 30 years
before that. One quote that may have given critics this belief is
“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,”
This one quote good be used
as the basis of the criticism, it describes slavery in a very peaceful and
friendly way. Also the part about devotion most likely was also a trigger, to
suggest black people should have devotion towards white people so soon after
slavery and with segregation and civil rights still major social issues it would
be seen as insensitive to black people.. Booker T. also spoke of how if blacks
did not collaborate with whites they were aiding in the destruction of America
“Nearly sixteen millions of
hands will aid you in pulling the load upward, or they will pull against you
the load downward.”
These two points would be
easy pointers for critics to use against Washington
