I. Booker T. Washington is best known for founding Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

A. The growth of Tuskegee Institute under Washington’s guidance was nothing short of phenomenal.

1. When Washington founded Tuskegee Institute in 1881, the school had only one dilapidated building and an enrollment of 40 students.

2. By the time Washington died in 1915, Tuskegee Institute occupied 2,000 acres of land, enrolled 1,500 students, and boasted a faculty of 200 instructors.

B. Today, Tuskegee Institute remains a leader in applied research and practical education.

II. Booker T. Washington is also known as one of the ablest speakers in American history.

A. All told, Washington delivered some 4,000 public speeches during his 30-year career as an orator.

B. Washington’s most famous speech is his “Atlanta Exposition Address” of 1895.

1. In the “Atlanta Exposition Address” Washington urged blacks to strive for economic advancement rather than to agitate for immediate social equality.

2. To this day, Washington’s speech at Atlanta remains highly controversial.

a. Some people praise the speech as a brilliant example of audience adaptation in a very difficult situation.

b. Other people condemn the speech for failing to denounce racial segregation and inequality.