Booker T. Washington's Last Published Article: "The Future of the Negro"
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Date Published: October 15, 2024
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This article was republished from the November, 1915 Femina [a French Magazine] in The Boston Globe shortly after Booker T. Washington's death, and it has been edited in 2024 by Peter E. Greulich for inclusion with his review of Dr. Washington’s first book: “The Future of the American Negro.”
The title of his first book and the title of this, his last article, seem fitting bookends that accurately reflect the life-long work of Mr. Washington between their publications—ensuring a positive future for his race. After reading many of his numerous other works—with several still to go, every work is written from an optimistic perspective on how to ensure the people of his race and those with which they reside could be made stronger with lasting improvements in race relations.
Essentially, he called all men to a life of service to their fellow man—regardless of race.
Essentially, he called all men to a life of service to their fellow man—regardless of race.
Peter E. Greulich, October 15, 2024
The Future of the Negro
By Booker T. Washington D. D.
[Extracted from The Boston Globe, November 16, 1915]
By Booker T. Washington D. D.
[Extracted from The Boston Globe, November 16, 1915]
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The present is a landmark in the history of the negro. He has just closed celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution declaring slavery abolished in the Nation.
In connection with these celebrations, I observed that two significant things were done. There was a backward look to see what had been accomplished in the half century of freedom. There was, more importantly, a taking stock of the present and a forward look to see what the race may accomplish in the future.
The achievements of the negro in the past 50 years cause him to confidently face the future with the faith and assurance that in the next 50 years he will accomplish more than in the 50 years which have just past. I feel safe in saying that no other people have in so short a time made more of their opportunities than have the negroes since their emancipation. Freedom gave them the opportunity to make progress morally, religiously, educationally and economically.
Along moral lines he is making serious efforts to improve his condition. These efforts for moral improvement are being implemented through negro churches, negro schools, and special organizations. No matter for what purpose an organization may be formed among my people, it seeks to improve social conditions.
As an example of what I mean, there are being organized in numerous cities in the South negro boards of trade. These boards of trade are not confining their energies to economic improvement alone, but they are also making efforts to improve the moral and sanitary conditions of the race.
In connection with these celebrations, I observed that two significant things were done. There was a backward look to see what had been accomplished in the half century of freedom. There was, more importantly, a taking stock of the present and a forward look to see what the race may accomplish in the future.
The achievements of the negro in the past 50 years cause him to confidently face the future with the faith and assurance that in the next 50 years he will accomplish more than in the 50 years which have just past. I feel safe in saying that no other people have in so short a time made more of their opportunities than have the negroes since their emancipation. Freedom gave them the opportunity to make progress morally, religiously, educationally and economically.
Along moral lines he is making serious efforts to improve his condition. These efforts for moral improvement are being implemented through negro churches, negro schools, and special organizations. No matter for what purpose an organization may be formed among my people, it seeks to improve social conditions.
As an example of what I mean, there are being organized in numerous cities in the South negro boards of trade. These boards of trade are not confining their energies to economic improvement alone, but they are also making efforts to improve the moral and sanitary conditions of the race.
A Focus on the Importance of Women's Work in this Process
Perhaps one of the most important factors in the moral improvement of my people is the large number of women’s clubs that have been organized and brought into a National body as the National Association of Colored Women. Some of the enterprises that these women’s clubs are carrying on are the support of visiting nurses, working girls’ homes, social settlements, and protective leagues for women and girls.
No people have given as much of their earnings and efforts for religious development as has the negro. Over 8 percent of the total wealth of the negro is in church property, while less than 1 percent of the total wealth of the Nation is in church property.
No race has made greater progress along educational lines than the negro has since his emancipation. At that time not more than 3 percent of the entire race could read or write. At the present time less than 30 percent are without some education in books. No other people within 50 years have been able to so develop themselves along educational lines that they have been able to almost entirely carry the teaching side of their education.
Emancipation gave the negro an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that he could farm on his own responsibility. Forty percent of the cotton of the South is being raised on the farms operated by negroes. On their farms they are raising each year more than $500,000,000 worth of products. Fifty years ago the negroes of the country owned only a small amount of land. Now they own over 20,000,000 acres, an area equal to the combined area of all New England, excepting the State of Maine.
No people have given as much of their earnings and efforts for religious development as has the negro. Over 8 percent of the total wealth of the negro is in church property, while less than 1 percent of the total wealth of the Nation is in church property.
No race has made greater progress along educational lines than the negro has since his emancipation. At that time not more than 3 percent of the entire race could read or write. At the present time less than 30 percent are without some education in books. No other people within 50 years have been able to so develop themselves along educational lines that they have been able to almost entirely carry the teaching side of their education.
Emancipation gave the negro an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that he could farm on his own responsibility. Forty percent of the cotton of the South is being raised on the farms operated by negroes. On their farms they are raising each year more than $500,000,000 worth of products. Fifty years ago the negroes of the country owned only a small amount of land. Now they own over 20,000,000 acres, an area equal to the combined area of all New England, excepting the State of Maine.
Our History Documents Years of Preparation
As I have indicated, the past 50 years for the negro have been years of preparation. It was the period in which he was finding himself. He begins the second half-century of his freedom with much of the handicap of ignorance removed. He now appreciates the dignity of labor and has learned that labor is not synonymous with ignorance, poverty and degradation, but that it goes with and belongs to progress, enlightenment and all that makes for the general uplift of a people.
Fifty years ago, with the exception of a few carpenters, blacksmiths, masons, and a number of home servants, practically all of the negroes were agricultural workers. Emancipation gave them the opportunity to engage in all sorts of occupations. They began the second stage of their freedom engaged in about all of the pursuits in which other people are engaged.
There are over 50,000 in the professions, that is, teachers, preachers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, editors, etc. There are some 43,000 engaged in businesses of various sorts. There are a half a million negroes working in the trades and other occupations that require a skill.
With the advantages which the negroes now have, there is every reason to believe that in the next 50 years their progress will be greater than ever before. In the last 10 years of the half-century which has just closed, their progress along economical lines was much more rapid than in the previous 40 years.
Negro churches are contributing to home and foreign mission work which is already being carried on actively in the West Indies, South America and Africa.
Fifty years ago, with the exception of a few carpenters, blacksmiths, masons, and a number of home servants, practically all of the negroes were agricultural workers. Emancipation gave them the opportunity to engage in all sorts of occupations. They began the second stage of their freedom engaged in about all of the pursuits in which other people are engaged.
There are over 50,000 in the professions, that is, teachers, preachers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, editors, etc. There are some 43,000 engaged in businesses of various sorts. There are a half a million negroes working in the trades and other occupations that require a skill.
With the advantages which the negroes now have, there is every reason to believe that in the next 50 years their progress will be greater than ever before. In the last 10 years of the half-century which has just closed, their progress along economical lines was much more rapid than in the previous 40 years.
Negro churches are contributing to home and foreign mission work which is already being carried on actively in the West Indies, South America and Africa.
The Negro Needs a Fair Chance
In order, however, for the negro to make the most of himself, it is necessary that he should have a fair chance along all lines. As far as possible handicaps must be removed. These handicaps I have pointed out in my recent Century article, “Is the Negro Having a Fair Chance?”
I wrote:
I wrote:
“A large part of our racial troubles in the United States grows out of some attempt to pass and execute a law that will make and keep one man superior to another, whether he is intrinsically superior or not. No greater harm can be done to any group of people than to let them feel that a statutory enactment can keep them superior to anybody else.
“No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race, or because of his color, he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts.”
One of the greatest handicaps under which the negro labors is a lack of proper educational facilities. In the North the Jew, the Slav, the Italian, many of whom are such recent arrivals that they have not yet become citizens and voters, even under the easy terms granted them by the naturalization laws of the Northern States, have all the advantages of education that are granted to every other portion of the population. In several States an effort is now being made to give immigrant people special opportunities for education over and above those given to the average citizen.
Notwithstanding his handicaps and disadvantages the negro in the United States owns more property, lives in better houses, wears better clothes, eats better food, has more schoolhouses and churches, teachers and preachers, and is making more progress in a business way than any similar group of negroes anywhere in the world.
What this group has accomplished in the past 50 years is merely an indication of what it will accomplish in the future.
As black and white men in a spirit of fair play and justice learn to adjust those interests which are individual and racial and feel and appreciate the importance of those fundamental interests which are common, so will both races prosper, for each will be promoting the common good.
Notwithstanding his handicaps and disadvantages the negro in the United States owns more property, lives in better houses, wears better clothes, eats better food, has more schoolhouses and churches, teachers and preachers, and is making more progress in a business way than any similar group of negroes anywhere in the world.
What this group has accomplished in the past 50 years is merely an indication of what it will accomplish in the future.
As black and white men in a spirit of fair play and justice learn to adjust those interests which are individual and racial and feel and appreciate the importance of those fundamental interests which are common, so will both races prosper, for each will be promoting the common good.
Booker T. Washington, The Boston Globe, 1915