According to Washington, what effect does hatred have on the human soul?
According to Washington, what impact will discrimination have?
According to the excerpt, how does Washington feel about white segregationists?
What “wrongs” is Washington referring to in the quote above? Use what you have learned in the lesson to explain your answer.
Washington was referring to the systemic racial injustices of the Jim Crow era in the South. These "wrongs" included the legal segregation of public facilities, the disenfranchisement of African American voters through poll taxes and literacy tests, the constant threat of intimidation and violence from white supremacist groups, and legal rulings like Plessy v. Ferguson that upheld the "separate but equal" doctrine.
Which of these “wrongs” did you mention?
Think about what you’ve learned about Homer Plessy. Which of Washington’s statements would Plessy most likely agree with?
because the mistreatment of African Americans will lead to the mistreatment of all citizensbecause the damage to African Americans will be permanent without that helpbecause the oppression of African Americans weakens the whole country
Which of these did you include in your response?
Write one paragraph that summarizes Booker T. Washington’s views on segregation. Be sure to use details from the Up from Slavery excerpt to support your answer.
In his autobiography Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington argues that segregation and racial prejudice are harmful to both white and African American people. He specifically posits that racial hatred damages people’s souls and and that discrimination often does more lasting damage to whites—the oppressors—than to the African Americans who are victimized by it. Washington believed that segregation could be overcome if African Americans focused on hard work, vocational training, and economic self-reliance to earn the respect of their neighbors. Furthermore, he emphasized that for the race to progress, African Americans need trust and responsibility from their leaders to guide them toward a better future.
Did you find these answers helpful?