umental in launching the civil rights
Movement and providing the groundwork for post-war Civil Rights activists.
Booker T. Washington is perhaps the the most widely known early black promoter, and
was the major African American spokesmen in the eyes of both blacks and whites alike. Born a
slave in Georgia in 1856, Washington sought to improve his condition and that of many others in
similar situations. As a young man, he attended he Hampton Institute where he recieved the bulk
of his eduacation. Upon graduating, he began to work at Tuskegee Institute in 1881 where he was
a prominent figure. As he earned respect and admiration by his colleagues, Washington began to
become recognized on a national scale by several prominent politicians. Booker T. Washington
soon became politcal advisors to several Presidents of the United States, particularly with
Theodore Roosevelt, with whom he created a strong friendship. Washington also recieved
worldwide attention, becoming a guest of the Queen of England at Windsor Palace.
A strong advocator of civil rights, Washington was held in high regard by both John D.
Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, two extremely prominent businessmen. As a result, both men
decided to fund Washington for travel and other expenditures for civil rights promotion.
Washington was considered an "accomodator" of civil rights, choosing to take a more laid back
approach to create change rather than agressively seeking immediate desegregation. He often
spoke of the creation of "seperate but equal" facilities for blacks and whites, rather than
unification. However, and more importantly, Booker T. Washington was a civil rights pioneer
by his own actions, attempting to demonstrate how hard work and education was able to create
numerous opportunites no matter what race
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