Booker T. Washington

Booker+T.+Washington

Joshua Haydon, Staff Writer

Booker T. Washington was born on April 5th 1865. He was an American educator, author, orator, and advisor to the president of the United States. Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. Washington was a key proponent of African American businesses and one of the founders of the National Negro Business League. He mastered the nuances of the political arena in the 19th century, which enable him to manipulate the media, raise money, develop strategy, network, push, reward friends, and distribute funds, while pushing those who opposed his plans for uplifting blacks. Washington was held in high regard by business oriented conservatives by both white and black. People called him the “Wizard of Tuskegee” because of his highly developed political skills, and his nationwide political machine based on the black middle class, white philanthropy, and Republican Party support. Booker T. Washington died on November 14th, 1975 and people will never forgot what he did in his life which was how he changed the political system for both blacks and whites and how he took the educational system higher for blacks.