Booker T. Washington's Up from Slavery: Discrimination and Other Issues

In trying to find a solution to discrimination, Booker T. Washington, in Up From Slavery, was essentially trying to address two issues. The first, which was the task of developing education and work-ethics among the African American population in order to improve that section of society, was largely successful. Although there was a bit of an element of the discrimination problem in dealing with this issue as far as getting the white southerners to work side by side with the African American in economic pursuits, according to Washington at least, this discrimination was minimal. This discrimination-in whatever forms it may have existed-was really just an effect of the second issue, which was underlying racism and discrimination. This is most evident in the discrimination dealing with "things that are purely social," which even Washington had trouble addressing. Washington's primary purpose was to aid the African American population in improving in regards to "all things essential to mutual progress" to the races and not to curb racism and discrimination in social settings.

At the first task, Washington did a superb job. After getting himself educated, he realized the importance of education and undertook the then enormous task of educating the former slave population. However, early on, Washington also realized that education in itself would do nothing. This is most evident in the instance where Washington observed a poor African American hunched over on the ground in an unkempt one-room cabin studying a French grammar. Washington observed many such people who had an aversion to labor and saw education merely as a means of escaping it. This is where Washington really put his prior experiences and education at Hampton to use. In addition to teaching academic subjects and putting academia in its proper place, Washington taught about the dignity and importance of labor. He realized that this was a necessary part of boosting the importance and role of the former slave population in the southern economy-and it was also an efficient way to build his institution! Before long, Washington had built an astounding educational institution and educated and made useful to the southern economy a large group of people through the Tuskegee Institute.

In attempting the second task, which was to eliminate discrimination in things which were "purely social," Washington was not a success. In fact, it is certainly debatable that Washington ever even seriously considered the undertaking of that task. He was of the opinion that, as far as social interactions, the races could "be as separate as the fingers, yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress." At least in this autobiography, Washington seems to completely brush that issue aside in pursuit of the betterment of education and labor ethics. Whether or not he really did try to resolve this issue or even consider it is outside the scope of this essay, but he steers clear of it in this book. A majority (but not all) of his experiences with white people in this book are completely positive experiences. He portrays them as much more than willing to help and socially interact with the Native American population.

Perhaps Washington was actually using these experiences in this book, which, according to the introduction, was addressed to white audiences, as an inconspicuous way of supporting racial unity and equity even in social interactions. If that is the case, then the few cases where he was unfairly discriminated against can be easily explained. They are often early on in the book when he is younger and almost never when he is older, so he may have used that to show the large improvements which had taken place in the south. Also, if he would not have included any negative instances, he would have been presenting an idealized world which did not exist, and both African Americans and Whites would have been suspicious of him. A comparison of this book with his book that was addressed to black readers might shed a bit more light on the subject. Either way, this is all mere speculation since Washington does not address the issue outright.

Booker T. Washington was certainly a motivational speaker. His speech at the Atlanta Exposition is just one example of this. Most of his speeches, like this one, are addressed to black and white audiences, and this points further towards the fact that he was interested in the issue of industrial and economic cooperation as opposed to social equality. His main theme is unity for the betterment of both races. This does not seem so surprising, either. The black and white populations were integrated economically during slavery (albeit, in a negative way), and both populations depended on each other. It is not so unnatural that, even after the abolition of slavery, the populations should seek to depend on each other for economic success in other ways. Therefore, Washington was very successful in achieving this goal and gaining support through his public speaking. It would not have worked for him to have publicly addressed the issue of social inequality and discrimination to both races. Besides the fact that, much unlike the economic situation, the two races did not previously depend on each other socially, he would be taking away from his theme of unity and cooperation in speaking to partly racist audiences.

Booker T. Washington was successful in his goal of building up the former slave population through education and labor. In helping to make them an important economic and political part of the south, he addressed a specific portion of discrimination and inequality successfully. This may have provided an excellent model for future civil rights activists. In this case, to "divide and conquer" is to be successful. For a single person to address every issue of inequality and discrimination at once is not feasible. Through his actions, Washington helped show that separate issues of race, inequality, and discrimination should be dealt with separately. In doing so, he made sure that the tradition of dignified labor and education that he started at the Tuskegee Institute would carry on to this day.

Sources:
Book - Up from Slavery, by Booker T. Washington, Penguin Classics edition with Introduction