Booker T. Washington: “The Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute is ideal in its conception, and has already a large and growing reputation…”

In order to defend and protect the women and children who were left on the plantations when the white males went to war, the slaves would have laid down their lives.

I have never seen one who did not want to be free, or one who would return to slavery.

When they saw that I was not afraid or ashamed to work, they began to assist with more enthusiasm.

I think I never saw a community of people so happy over anything as were the coloured people over the prospect of this new building.