TOPIC 3.8: Lifting as We Climb

Modern Scholars on THe Complex Legacy of Booker T. Washington

(and Ta-Nehisi Coasts’ masterful S.P. Y. of the Atlanta Exposition Speech)

LO 3.8.A: Describe strategies for racial uplift (or social advancement) proposed by African American writers, educators, and leaders at the turn of the twentieth century.

Objective: Students will contextualize Booker T. Washington's “Atlanta Exposition Speech” and analyze the validity of Washington's ‘uplift strategy.’ 

“These days, it's popular to bemoan the fact that Washington has fallen into disfavor. But it wasn’t blacks who proved the Atlanta Compromise fraudulent—it was the whites of that era.” - Ta-Nehisi Coates

“While much of his message sounds like appeasement of the white South, a closer reading reveals that these are the words of an extremely pragmatic and politically astute man dedicated to the future of his race. I therefore challenge my students and myself to “step into his time.” - Derrick Alridge

“Washington’s reasonableness came to be viewed as his mortal sin—he was often portrayed as the enemy of black activism. But these days, when the “schoolbook black hero” is Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington is less threatening, and more likable, than he once was: a slave turned mogul whose life story is easier to admire now that his political philosophy has been eclipsed. And, in the age of Obama, Washington seems more than ever like a precursor: a beloved barrier-smasher, sensitive to the rigorous demands of being America’s favorite black person. In short, Washington seems due for reappraisal…” - Kelefa Sanneh

NOTES

This lesson takes one day (55-minute class period). I teach it after covering content for 3.5 and before 3.6 and introducing W.E.B. Du Bois in and 3.7. Since Du Bois responds to Washington in The Souls of Black Folk, I believe it’s important to introduce Washington first.

This lesson has consistently led to great discussions and some “deep thoughts” in my classroom!

Lesson Plan

Introduction to Booker T. Washington (10 minutes)

• I begin with the slide presentation (slides #1–15), introducing Booker T. Washington and focusing on his biography rather than his “uplift strategy.” This includes a quote from Up From Slavery. (The slides are created in a way that allows me to tell Washington’s story while the students write down a few key details in their Unit 3 Vocab packets. I prefer a more thoughtful graphic organizer, but student feedback led me to cut out a few extra handouts, and this approach simplifies things for everyone. )

• After establishing Washington as a heroic, self-made success, I transition to slide #16-18, which shifts the perspective dramatically. This slide introduces critiques of Washington, with quotes describing him as a “sellout,” a “betrayer,” and an “enemy of Black activism.” This transition sets the stage and add some intrigue for the required source: the “Atlanta Exposition Speech.”

1. Independent Reading & S.P. Y. Analysis (8-10 minutes)

   • Students independently read an excerpt from the “Atlanta Exposition Speech.”

   • They then complete the ‘S’ (summarize) and the ‘P’ (use the evidence to answer to the prompt) portions of the S.P. Y. process., saving the ‘Y’ (Analysis: whY was this written at this time and place?) for later.

   • While students are working, I walk around the room to provide direct and immediate feedback. I let them know upfront that I won’t be able to give feedback to everyone, encouraging students to raise their hands if they’d like me to review their work. This approach helps frame my feedback as supportive rather than disruptive.

2. Small Group Discussion: Evaluating Washington’s Strategy (4-5 minutes)

   • Students discuss in small groups: Is Washington’s strategy valid?

   • With topic 3.5 fresh in their minds (the Nadir, Ida B. Wells’ heroics, and a passage from The Red Record), many students tend to scoff at the “Atlanta Exposition Speech.”

3. Reevaluating Washington with Kelefa Sanneh (10 minutes)

   • Students read excerpt #2 from Kelefa Sanneh, who argues that Booker T. Washington’s strategy must be evaluated in the context of his time and when this approach is taken, Washington’s success and resilience should be admired. This essay was written during the week of Obama’s first inauguration and he describes Washington as a precursor to Obama.

   • Display slide #24 and have students, in small groups, support, refute, or modify Sanneh’s claims.

   • As I circulate, I listen for insightful comments and encourage a specific student or two to share their ideas during the wrap-up discussion. Many students either refute or modify Sanneh’s argument.

   • To deepen the discussion, I introduce a quote from Dr. Derrick Alridge supporting Sanneh’s perspective (slide #27).

4. Ta-Nehisi Coates & Expert S.P.Y. Analysis (15 minutes)

   • We read Ta-Nehisi Coates’ essay out loud, popcorn style. I rarely use this method, but it’s valuable for this activity. Coates’ essay not only covers key content from a modern perspective but also serves as an excellent example of how to analyze a primary source—a skill required for the DBQ. This activity helps students see how these skills apply to real-world arguments about society.

   • While reading, I display slide #29. When we finish, I show slide #30, my color-coded version illustrating how Coates effectively uses S.P.Y. skills.

5. Revisiting Initial S.P. Y. Analysis (5–10 minutes)

   • After completing the essay, students return to their original S.P.Y. attempt and add their own “Y” analysis, which will allow them to process the day’s discussion and sources and to incorporating the skills and approach they’ve learned from Coates.

Follow-Up Lesson

The next day, I introduce W.E.B. Du Bois and guide students through a passage from The Souls of Black Folk. Students work in groups of 2-4 and analyze Du Bois's key concepts, including “the veil,” “double consciousness,” and “the color-line” by creating a diagram or visualization that captures their interpretation of these ideas, helping them translate the abstract concepts into concrete imagery.

I also always show the note of congratulations that Du Bois sent Washington the week of the Atlanta Speech. It is on slide #35 of the slides linked above. While students should know the differences between Du Bois and Washington’s uplift strategies and that Du Bois calls out Washington by name in The Souls of Black Folk and labels the speech the “Atlanta Compromise,” it is significant that in September 1895, Du Bois wrote to Washington that his speech was a “word fittly spoken.”