The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.10, page 119, May 1909, U. of Illinois Press

The page presentation framework of the Booker T. Washington papers is designed to provide researchers worldwide with searchable access to the thousands of pages comprising the fourteen volumes, most of which are out of print. Adapted from the National Academy Press's Open Book framework, this framework allows searching down to the page level, provides sorting of search results chronologically, enables easy navigation across multiple volumes, and allows page-by-page local printing (via PDF) of every page.

[ Top of Page ]

[ Home ]

[ Contact Us ]

[ Help ]

OCRed data provided for searching only.
MAY . 1 909 conference. Now, I know you want me to be perfectly frank. First, let me say, as my plans stand, it will be physically impossible for me to be present, but aside from that I do not believe that it would be best for me to be present at the first session at least, as I do not think it would help the conference. I fear that my presence might restrict freedom of discussion, and might, also, tend to make the conference go in directions which it would not like to go. Secondly, I hardly feel that in the present conditions in the South, it would be best for the cause of education, in which you and I are both so deeply interested, for me to be present. Now, I am sure that you will not misunderstand me when I make these statements. I am not afraid of doing anything which I think is right and should be done. I have always recognized, as I have stated to you more than once, that there is a work to be done which no one placed in my position can do, which no one living in the South perhaps can clot There is a work which those of us who live here in the South can do, which persons who do not live in the South cannot do. If we recognize fairly and squarely this, then, it seems to me that we have gone a long ways. Third, I have always recognized the value of sane agitation and criticism, but not to the extent of having our race feel that we can depend upon this to cure all the evils surrounding us. In the last analysis I am sure that both of us agree that it is through progressive, constructive work that we are to succeed rather than by depending too largely upon agitation or criticism. I want to state, in conclusion, that in so far as I have followed the plans of the conference and noted the persons to be connected with it, you have made great prowess in getting rid of an element of people who have always been a loadstone about the neck of such movements, and if this element is subdued, or kept quiet, or out of such meetings it will mean much in getting a good, strong following. Please assure the members of the committee that I understand thoroughly their attitude toward me and their reasons for not insisting upon my presence, and that I have no feeling whatever, growing out of being left out. I am writing hastily, just in the midst of our commencement exercises, and I may not make myself very clear. I shall try when I 19