My+Legacy



//"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed".// (Washington, p.19)

The above caption and photograph entitled "Freedom" represent the very essence of the spirit and legacy of Booker T. Washington. In 1875,At the age of 16 years, he walked through the very same door of the cabin, and largely by his own two feet, wit and perseverance, made a journey to his self proclaimed "paradise". Upon reaching his destination, the Hampton Institute, Washington, starving and disheveled, he did not make a favorable impression to the staff member who received him until she handed him a broom. Thus, his entrance exam consisted of sweeping out and cleaning a classroom. By his own account, Washington cleaned and detailed the room with his whole being until the head teacher returned with white gloves to inspect. This story, is symbolic of the virtues and philosophy towards one's labor, were often repeated in the themes of Washington's philosophy of teaching and learning.

At the time of Washington’s death, there were 1,500 students, a $2 million endowment, 40 trades, (we would call them majors today), 100 fully-equipped buildings, and about 200 faculty. From 30 adult students in a one room shanty, we have today grown to more than 3,000 students on a campus (the main campus, farm and forest land) that includes some 5,000 acres and more than 70 buildings (Tuskegee University, 2009).