The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.12, page xvii, in Introduction, 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.
INTRODUCTION IN THE PERIOD COVERED BY this volume, from September Aged through March 19~4, Washington's declining personal vigor could be seen in his face but not in his actions, as he continued his heavy schedule of speaking, fund-raising, close supervision of Tuskegee Institute, and race leadership. The election of the Democrat Woodrow Wilson to the presidency vireuaBy forced Washington's retirement as a patronage broker, but he continued to have some political influence. On the eve of Wilson's inauguration, he expressed the belief that Wilson would be a friend to blacks. The Democrats, however, lost no time in dismantling the political arm of the Tuskegee Machine. Washington stood by while one political lieutenant after another was removed from office, beginning with William H. Lewis only three days after the inauguration. The able Charles W. Anderson was among the last to fall, and he returned to office in the New York state government. Of aB the Washington lieutenants, only Judge Robert H. Terrell received reappointment by Wilson. This was apparently because Terreld's ability and circumspection had made a favorable unpression on many Democrats in Washington, D.C., and because Washington persuaded Bishop Alexander Walters, a black Wilson supporter, to intervene on Terrell's behalf. Despite the loss of its political arm, the Tuskegee Machine remained powerful. Washington was able to secure positions In the English departnaent of Howard University for his proteges Alain L. Locke and G. David Houston. He wrested the festivities of the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation from a rival group and awarded it to the National Negro Business l eague. He secured friends at Lincoln University by aiding the school to secure a Carnegie science hall. His lieutenant ·— XV11