Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019

Alridge’s college students are often divided in their views of Booker T. Washington. Some “admire his focus on education as a means of making a living, while forgoing civil rights for the time being. Other students view Washington’s approach as representing acquiescence to white supremacy” (267).

As the 20th century began, 9 million Black Americans wanted equal treatment under the law. Scholars called this the “Negro problem” (267). Many people thought Blacks were incapable of the intellectual capacity required to be equal, productive members of society. Others thought that with proper training, African Americans could eventually become equal to whites.

Washington’s argument, delivered on September 18, 1895, is known as the “Atlanta Compromise” (267). He said that Black Americans needed to prioritize trades and skills. If they could make themselves indispensable members of society, then perhaps the civil rights questions would take care of themselves. But behind his speeches, Washington was an advocate for Black civil rights. Alridge believes that anyone who refuses to study Washington’s strategy will miss out on a richer understanding of “the complexity and multidimensional leadership of African Americans in the twentieth century” (270).