How Did Booker T Washington Overcome Adversity

Booker T. Washington once said, “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.” Both BTW and FD had great struggles. They are both exemplary African-American men who helped shape the country as we know and enjoy it today. All that these men did was in the face of great opposition. The lives of Booker T. Washington and Fredrick Douglass bore witness to this fact. Everyone agrees that Booker T. Washington and Fredrick Douglass experienced adversity. Some people believe adversity destroys a man’s character, while others believe it cuts and refines them. A man’s character is revealed through adversity for 3 reasons both men were refined through their time in slavery, both men grew up without a father, and both men were denied any formal education and were

Slavery taught them the value of hard work. Although Washington was freed at eight years of age and never had to suffer the back-breaking work of a grown slave, he still witnessed the plight of the workers picking cotton from dawn to dusk. Douglass however, did not purchase his freedom until his mid-20. He experienced the full weight of slavery on his very own weary shoulders. While Booker T. Washington was freed, Fredrick Douglass was forced to buy his freedom after first daringly escaping to Europe.
The second reason a man’s character is revealed through adversity is both men grew up without a father. This empowered them to do whatever possible to give them the best father they could. They wanted to gift their children a hand-up in life. Both were married twice, and had children from both women. Washington and Douglass realized that, although not necessary, a child needs a father to have a great start to a very productive life. Lastly, this gave them the opportunity to instill good and godly values into their