Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington wrote, “The Atlanta Exposition Address” in order to help the slaves decide on whether it was best to stay where they are in the south, or seek better respect and freedom from the north. It seems that Washington was leaning towards the slaves staying in the south, even though the north would sound like a much better place to be in. The south may have a lot more racism, but there are just so many jobs in the south that the slaves would need to stay there for the south to survive. This seems to be the main reason as to why Washington would want the slaves to stay down there. Without them, the entire south economy would fall and the slaves would probably be the ones blamed for this. In the north, the slaves would have more opportunities and rights though the economy there may too fall if they all rush towards it. There are only so many jobs in the north and too many slaves migrating there would destroy what the north already has going for it. Washington is thinking more about he future and he knows that in time the south will become like north. The slaves just need to “offer up their buckets” to the people in the south and in time they will fill the buckets with everything the newly freed slaves would need.