Introduction: Blacks vs Higher Education
Slavery and discrimination against Black people were ingrained within society in America’s past. higher education institutions in America were no different, as there is a has a strong connection between universities in America and the slave trade. Two of the oldest and most renown institutions in America today, Harvard University and Brown University, thrived off the labor of their slaves.
The Brown family, those who founded Brown University, owned more than fourteen slaves in which they acquired from the slave trade. Furthermore, Harvard University’s students enjoyed meals and slept in beds that were prepared by slaves. (Walters, 20xx)
Despite society and the higher education system being designed to exclude and discriminate black people, many black people have made strides in the harsh social climate of America’s past to advance their studies and normalize African Americans in higher education. To combat the segregation Black people had to face during their pursuit to advance their education, Black leaders created their own higher education institutions to serve the Black community. In this paper, I will discuss the efforts of Black activists and educators, Booker T Washington, and George Washington Carver and their roles in creating and advancing Tuskegee University, one of the nation’s most renown Historically Black Universities.
Booker T Washington
Booker T Washington was born on a plantation in southwest Virginia. Like Carver and most other people who were born as slaves, Washington does not have any knowledge on the exact day of his birth. However, he believes the year of his birth was either 1858 or 1859.(washingotn, 1800) Washington also lamented on knowing close to nothing about his ancestry and even his father.
During his early life, Washington lived with his mother, brother, and sister on their master’s plantation. At the age of nine, Washington officially gained freedom under the Emancipation Proclamation. His mother moved him and his siblings to West Virginia, a free state in which her husband Washington Ferguson lived in after he successfully escaped during the events of the war. While living in West Virginia, Washington was able to finally attend school and learn how to read and write. In order to attend school, it was required to give a surname to register. This was the first time he used the surname ‘Washington’ as he received it from his step father.
While working at a coal mine for money, Washington overheard a conversation between two other miners about a school for colored people in Virginia. Eventually, he discovered the school was Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Ecstatic, Washington knew his new goal in life was to attend this institution. However, he had to keep working in order to do so. Washington stayed at the mines for a couple of months afterward until a servant position in the home of General Lewis Ruffner, the owner of the mines Washington worked in, opened up. The General’s wife, Viola Ruffner was the person the servants would respond to. She had a reputation of being extremely strict, which initially gave Washington doubts about applying. However, he applied and was eventually hired, making five dollars a month.
Washington’s initial fears about Viola Ruffner were eventually proven wrong as he began to learn more about her as a person. Ruffner eventually became one of Washington’s biggest supporters during his journey to Hampton. Because of her, Washington was able to start his very own library. After about a year and a half of living and working with Ruffner, Washington knew it was time for him to begin making his move to Hampton. However, There were many uncertainties surrounding his decision to leave the Ruffner household at the time. Washington was unsure of the amount of money he needed for travel, and ultimately did not have enough, thus relying on his brother for extra financial support. Furthermore, his mother’s health was rapidly declining. Both Washington and his mother was unsure if they would see each other again after his departure.
After a long journey that exhausted all of his funds, Washington arrived at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. His travels left in an unfavorable state as he has not showered, properly eaten or changed his clothes in quite some time, so he did not make a good first impression with the teacher who greeted him. Although Washington did not get accepted or denied upon entry, he watched as other students were accepted. After standing by for a few hours, Washington received his entrance exam in the form of labor. The teacher told Washington to sweep their recitation-room, and he did so, leaving the room spotless to the point the teacher was unable to find a speck of dust with a handkerchief. Washington was shortly accepted into Hampton and ultimately graduated with honors.
After graduating, Washington returns to his hometown of Malden for two years to become a teacher to support not only his siblings but other members of his community’s path to and through Hampton University. In 1878, Washington moves to Washington D.C. to continue his education. Washington admired the city for its schools treating blacks well. While studying in Washington D.C., Washington received a letter from Samuel C. Armstrong, the president of Hampton Institute, to return to give a speech at the upcoming commencement. Washington gladly accepted, as his speech would ultimately lead to a teaching position at Hampton for him. In 1881, Armstrong received word on a group of men were working to start a school for colored in Alabama named Tuskegee. The men needed a leader, and called for Armstrong for a recommendation, thus recommending Washington for the position. Upon great deliberation, Washington accepted, therefore becoming the first president of Tuskegee University.
George Washington Carver
Like most people who were born slaves, George Washington Carver’s exact date of birth is unknown. However, Carver was born within the time frame of January through June of 1864 in Diamond Grove, Newton County, which is now known as Diamond, Missouri. The whereabouts of Carver’s father is unknown, but his family included his mother, Mary, a brother named James and multiple sisters. (Bagely, 2013) As an infant, Carver and his family were kidnapped by Confederate raiders. Shortly after, Carver’s master, Moses Carver was able to locate and retrieve both George and his brother, James. However, Carver never saw his mother after the kidnapping. ()
While growing up at Moses Carver’s plantation, Moses and his wife, Susan, gave George and James lessons on how to read and write. James’ preference to work in the fields led to him giving up the lessons. Meanwhile, George began to studying plants with Sue Carver in their fields by making simple herbal medicines. Carver became more experienced and intrigued by plants as time went on. He was able to learn how to improve the health of plants after conducting experiments with soil conditions, natural pesticides, and soil conditioners. Carver shared his knowledge on plants with farmers who resided in the area, thus gaining the nickname of “The Plant Doctor”.
At the age of 12, Carver wished to go to school to pursue an education. However, since the public schools in Diamond Grove did not allow Carver to attend due to his race. Because of this, Carver had to leave his home to attend a school for Black children in Neosho, a town approximately eight miles away from Diamond Grove. When Carver finally arrived in Neosho, the day was nearly over so he was unable to find a proper building to sleep. Ultimately, Carver decided to sleep in a barn he came across. Coincidentally, the barn was owned by a black couple, Mariah and Andrew Watkins.
Admired by Carver’s will to work, the Watkins allowed Carver to live with them while studying in Neosho. The Watkin’s barn was located very close to the school Carver attended but also close to Diamond Grove, so Carver was able to occasionally visit home. Mariah Watkin took a particular liking to Carver. She taught him a lot about the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which is the religion Carver held dear to him for the rest of life. A piece of advice she gave Carver was “You must learn all you can, then go back into the world and give your learning back to the people.” Carver held onto these words as he continued to pursue education. He only stayed with the Watkins are about a year, after deciding to learn Neosho after his teacher began to not meet his expectations.
At the age of thirteen, Carver became somewhat of a wanderer for Education. His next move was to Fort Scott, Kansas, which is almost 100 miles from (birthplace), the place where Carver was born. By using the social and domestic skills he has gained from his time with the Carvers and Watkins, Carver was able to find work at a grocery store and a local while attending school locally in the area.
In early 1879, Carver witnessed the lynching of a black man who was accused of raping a 12-year-old white girl. This scene made Carver want to get out of Fort Scott as soon as possible. He took off and headed to Olathe, a town near Kansas City, then to Minneapolis, Kansas, where he finished his high school education. These years led to few disappointing events for Carver, as his brother, Jim, would pass away due to smallpox. Carver knew he needed to continue learning, so he began to apply for many colleges. His first acceptance came from Highland College. However, his acceptance was revoked when he arrived at the college and the administration realized he was a black man.
The despair of Highland College’s rejection discouraged Carver, as he decided to put off his education and not attempt to apply to any other college for quite some time. While taking his vast knowledge of plants under consideration, he decided to follow his foster father’s footsteps began to take on homesteading instead of education. This new pursuit was different and required more labor than Carver’s usual pursuits to financially support himself. Life as a homesteader led him to Iowa, where he met Mr. John Milholland and his wife. The Milholland’s believed in Carver and was impressed by his knowledge of plants, and artistic talents. The two urged Carver to continue his education and suggested for him to apply to Simpson College, a school near Indianola that accepted people regardless of their race.
Simpson College made a lasting impression on Carver. Although he was the only black student there at the time, Carver was met with a very kind environment. While at Simpson College, Carver decided to go in a different educational path by not taking any science-related classes but study art instead. In one of Carver’s art classes, he was taught by Etta Budd, the daughter of a professor who taught horticulture at Iowa State’s College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. Although Carver’s art greatly impressed Budd, she recommended Carver to study sciences, as she feared a black man would not be able to make a living as an artist at the time. Carver struggled with the decision to continue studying art or go back to the sciences. In the end, Carver ultimately decided to return to studying agriculture, as he felt his studies will help him serve his community and the poor black farmers he wished to help.
After a year at Simpson College, Carver transferred to Iowa State’s College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts. Unfortunately, Carver did not have the luxury of a kind environment at Iowa State, as he was not allowed to eat with students in the dining halls, and called many different racial slurs during his first days at Iowa. Carver remained at Iowa State and earned his bachelor’s in agriculture in 1894. Carver then accepted a teaching position at Iowa while he pursued his master’s degree. With Carver’s effective teaching style and unique demeanor, he shifted his reputation and became a widely respected and valued member of the Iowa State community. Two years later in 1896, Carver earned his master’s degree. He received job offers from multiple colleges but was eventually swayed by Booker T Washington to join him at Tuskegee.
