ATLANTA COMPROMISE ATLANTA COMPROMISE CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY ARTS SLAVERY AFRICAN AMERICANS AMERICAN CULTURE INTRODUCTION IN THE FALL OF 1895 BOOKER T WASHINGTON GAVE ONE OF THE OPENING ADDRESSES FOR THE COTTON STATES AND INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION IN ATLANTA HIS SPEECH CAME TO BE KNOWN AS THE ATLANTA COMPROMISE IN HIS ADDRESS WASHINGTON URGED AFRICAN AMERICANS TO GIVE UP POLITICAL AND VOTING RIGHTS AND INSTEAD WORK TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC EQUALITY WITH WHITE SOUTHERNERS HE PROPOSED DOING THIS THROUGH AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT IS FROM WASHINGTON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY UP FROM SLAVERY WHICH INCLUDES THE ADDRESS AS ORIGINALLY DELIVERED WHEN I AROSE TO SPEAK THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE CHEERING ESPECIALLY FROM THE COLOURED PEOPLE AS I REMEMBER IT NOW THE THING THAT WAS UPPERMOST IN MY MIND WAS THE DESIRE TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WOULD CEMENT THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE RACES AND BRING ABOUT HEARTY COOPERATION BETWEEN THEM TO THOSE OF MY RACE WHO DEPEND ON BETTERING THEIR CONDITION IN A FOREIGN LAND OR WHO UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTIVATING MAKING FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH THE SOUTHERN WHITE MAN WHO IS THEIR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR I WOULD SAY CAST SET DOWN YOUR BUCKET WHERE YOU ARE CAST IT DOWN IN MAKING FRIENDS IN EVERY MANLY WAY OF THE PEOPLE OF ALL RACES BY WHOM WE ARE SURROUNDED CAST IT DOWN IN AGRICULTURE MECHANICS IN COMMERCE IN DOMESTIC SERVICE AND IN THE PROFESSIONS AND IN THIS CONNECTION IT IS WELL TO BEAR IN MIND THAT WHATEVER OTHER SINS THE SOUTH MAY BE CALLED TO BEAR WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS PURE AND SIMPLE IT IS IN THE SOUTH THAT THE NEGRO IS GIVEN A MAN'S CHANCE IN THE COMMERCIAL WORLD OUR GREATEST DANGER IS THAT IN THE GREAT LEAP FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM WE MAY OVERLOOK THE FACT THAT THE MASSES OF US ARE TO LIVE BY THE PRODUCTIONS OF OUR HANDS NO RACE CAN PROSPER TILL IT LEARNS THAT THERE IS AS MUCH DIGNITY IN TILLING A FIELD AS IN WRITING A POEM IT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF LIFE WE MUST BEGIN AND NOT AT THE TOP DURING THIS PERIOD MANY SOUTHERNERS WANTED IMMIGRANTS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE WORKFORCE BOOKER T WASHINGTON APPEALS TO SOUTHERNERS NOT TO DO THIS AS WE HAVE PROVED OUR LOYALTY TO YOU IN THE PAST IN NURSING YOUR CHILDREN WATCHING THE SICKBED OF YOUR MOTHERS AND FATHERS AND OFTEN FOLLOWING THEM WITH TEAR DIMMED EYES TO THEIR GRAVES SO IN THE FUTURE IN OUR HUMBLE WAY WE SHALL STAND BY YOU WITH A DEVOTION THAT NO FOREIGNER CAN APPROACH READY TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES IF NEED BE IN DEFENSE OF YOURS IN ALL THINGS THAT ARE PURELY SOCIAL WE CAN BE AS SEPARATE AS THE FINGERS YET ONE AS THE HAND IN ALL THINGS ESSENTIAL TO MUTUAL PROGRESS FROM UP FROM SLAVERY BY BOOKER T WASHINGTON 1901
