“The Atlanta Exposition Address” by Booker T. Washington
Answer the following Questions from “The Atlanta Exposition Address” by Booker T. Washington. Please use complete sentences.
- In your own words, what did the metaphor of the ship lost at sea mean in relation to African Americans?
- According to the speech, what percentage (or fraction) of the South was comprised of former slaves?
- What did Washington have to say about the responsibilities of African Americans in regard to industry?
- What are Washington’s hopes for racial relations near the end of his speech?
- At the time the speech was given, who was the President of the United States?
- What was that president’s reaction? What did he do? What was his relationship with Washington?
- When asked his opinion on black ministers in the South, what was Washington’s analysis? How did his fellow African Americans respond?
- What, if any, changes to the black ministry occurred after Washington’s statements? Were there any improvements?
- The president of which prestigious university asked Washington to be one of their Judges of the Award?
- What was Washington’s opinion of black Southerners’ responsibility to vote?
Solution:
“The Atlanta Exposition Address” by Booker T. Washington
1. In your own words, what did the metaphor of the ship lost at sea mean in relation to African Americans?
In The Atlanta Exposition Address, Booker T. Washington makes use of a metaphor based on African American. Per the black former slaves, who are the previous educator while preparing to partly due in the industrial labor. On the other hand, it is the parable with the ‘ship lost at sea’, mainly suggests the co-dependency developing among the blacks and the whites which can be a result of the slave system.
2. According to the speech, what percentage (or fraction) of the South was comprised of former slaves?
As per the census of 1860, 30.8 percent of the free families are based on the confederacy and it is owned by the slaves.
3. What did Washington have to say about the responsibilities of African Americans in regard to industry?
Washington often argues that African Americans have a concentration based on educating themselves, in order to learn about useful trades while investing in a business. Therefore, based on hard work, economic progress, and merit are believed to prove that the whites giving value to the Blacks so that they can progress the American economy.
4. What are Washington’s hopes for racial relations near the end of his speech?
Washington suggested that African Americans that should not be agitated under political and social grounds, as they are required to get equal positions in society. Instated this hard work, in order to earn respect while acquiring vocational training so that this can participate in the economic development in the South.
5. At the time the speech was given, who was the President of the United States?
Booker T. Washington while announcing this speech, George Washington was the President of the United States.
6. What was that president’s reaction? What did he do? What was his relationship with Washington?
After the announcement and speech of Brooker T. Washington, the president was happy and tried developing a proper relationship with the black people within the society. As Booker Washington devotedly wanted to bring out the truth, which is like developing a co-dependency between Black people and white people. Thus, George Washington, prayed about the “Union and Brotherly affection may be perpetual”. Booker had no such relationship with George Washington, but while getting admission to his school, Booker used Title Washington. Later on, Booker came to know about his full name from his mother, which is Booker Talia Ferro, but it was not used in his masters so being white he kept this title.
7. When asked his opinion on black ministers in the South, what was Washington’s analysis? How did his fellow African Americans respond?
Booker T. Washington was an educator and the most influential black leader. Therefore, he preached about the philosophy of self-help, with racial solidarity as well as creating an accommodation. Therefore, he responds to his African Americans with the urge based on the blacks in order to accept discrimination for the time in order to accommodate as well as concentrate based on elevating themselves through hard work as well as material prosperity.
8. What, if any, changes to the black ministry occurred after Washington’s statements? Were there any improvements?
The analysis made by Washington was mainly based on the creation of how to develop a communal idea so that one-third of the Negro population gets a chance to be a part of the society so that they did not face any difficulties. Apart from this, thus he mentioned the sentiments that value the manhood of the American Negro and shall get a better life to fit with generosity and exposition between the two races so that all can get freedom.
9. The president of which prestigious university asked Washington to be one of their Judges of the Award?
Amidst the Atlanta speech by Booker, he received a letter from Dr. Gilman, the President of John Hopkins University as the judges awarded him from the Department of Atlanta.
10. What was Washington’s opinion of black Southerners’ responsibility to vote?
Washington believed in his vision towards the black people which would eventually lead to equal political as well as civil rights. While in the meantime, thus, he advised the blacks to put aside the immediate demands made by the voting skills while ending racial segregation.
