How Did Booker T Washington Impact The Civil Rights Movement

While there are other influencers during the Civil Rights movement such as, Homer Plessy, WEB DuBois, Ida B. Wells, they lacked the realistic thinking that would fully influence a generation to look at African Americans civil rights in a different light. While there was one who would not only understand the reality of white versus black authority, but would use this knowledge to create programs. This man is Booker T. Washington, the greatest impact upon the early Civil Rights movement.

One reason is because of his environment growing up he understands the reality of black issues which helped him fully impact the civil rights movement.
For instance, he was ”born a slave on a small farm in western Virginia”, which describes how he was raised

Booker T. Washington “created a national political network of schools, newspapers, and the National Negro Business League (founded in 1901)” (History.com). Which to this day, promotes the commercial and financial development of the Negro. Also, he was chosen in 1881 by the headmaster of Hampton Normal Agricultural Institute, General Armstrong, to find the “colored” school Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama. While the headmaster was told to refer a white man Booker had proved himself so much that he earned the respect of Armstrong to get the school. This school based with little money or materials would prosper and focus on training African Americans in agricultural pursuits” (Biography.com). Rather than just programs his words and values also would influence the public. For example, “Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, both men with deep racial prejudices, used Washington as an advisor because he accepted racial subordination. He was able to recommend candidates for minor political posts that traditionally were given to blacks. The industrialists who controlled the financing of many black schools in the South depended upon his advice as to which schools should receive funds” (Wormser). This shows how by understanding the social climate he was able to progressively make a change. Specifically he gave the Atlanta Compromise Speech saying, “the wisest of my race understand that the agitation 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 constant struggle rather than artificial forcing. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth infinitely more than to spend a dollar in an opera house" (Wormser). These programs and words alone would reach out to many to create harmonious growth in