Cooperation and Sticking Put

Booker T. Washington proposes that the only way for any change to take place in the South is for everyone to stay put and try to live full and happy lives. If there were a mass exodus of the newly freed African Americans, the the Southern white man would have no reason to change his way of thinking. The Southern white man needs to see for himself that African Americans can be dull or intelligent, lazy or hardworking, just as white people can. It has to do with the individual, not the race. As evidence for the plausible success of this, he discusses how he, a black man, was nominated to lead inspection of schools, both black and white, by a group of Southern white men. Washington argues that this transition has to be witnessed and processed with the natural course of time, not forced by a Northern out-group. This cannot happen if there are no African Americans to behave as examples.

Booker T. Washington asks Southern African Americans not to turn their foci to political or social change. Pressure would only turn Southern whites away from the idea, just as Northern interference would. However, if Southern African Americans turn their attention toward learning mundane trades, like farming, they would be able to work their ways up the social ladder. Washington explains that success within a family takes precedence over political change, and this can be done without migrating North. Interactions with white people in the South should be cordial and cooperative-instead of boycotting the vote, ask of white neighbors their advice in voting.

Cooperation. That is what Booker T. Washington advises, and it is only possible if there are two parties present to exchange dialogue. That is why Southern African Americans should stay in the South.