How Did Booker Washington Influence The Struggles Of Black People

1157 Words5 Pages

Anuar Kulmagambetov
ENGL 2343
Professor C. Robinson
04/04/2015
Essay 1

The struggle of black people for the independence in the United States has a long history. Indeed, first slaves arrived in the United States in 1619 and Emancipation Proclamation passed only in 1863; more than two hundred years of slavery affected lives of millions people. Even after getting their freedom, colored people faced with the huge issue of racial segregation “separate but equal” that passed by 14th amendment to the United States Constitution. In following years many colored people put a lot of efforts in order to achieve recognition of the black race among the whites. One of the people who made a great contribution to it is Booker Taliaffero Washington. He was …show more content…

He is the person who made a great contribution in recognition of the black race by whites, both Northern and Southern. He was highly valued by all people, and invited throughout whole United States to make speeches. Booker Washington was such a great orator, that many people tried to convert him into politician in order to represent black people; however, he never forgot about his mission to raise his nation to the greater level, and the truly believed that he can make more contribution to his race through education rather than politics. In the same time Washington did not hate any whites - former slaveholders and he did not try to put one race above the other; on the contrary, he deeply believed that both races could live together peacefully. During his speech, Washington once said: “In all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress.” I have never ever been thinking about the country and its nations from this viewpoint, but his words made such a great impression on me. Indeed, no matter how different we are, we all suppose to work together for the whole country’s prosperity. Moreover, adding to Washington’s accomplishments, he was the first Negro in the whole history awarded an honorary degree from the Harvard University, an oldest university in the United