As I have said, I believe that my race will succeed in proportion as it learns to do a common thing in an uncommon manner; learns to do a thing so thoroughly that no one can improve upon what it has done; learns to make its services of indispensable value.
From his autobiography, Washington articulates his philosophy on the path to success and racial uplift through excellence in work.
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More from Booker T. Washington
Wherever our graduates go, the changes which soon begin to appear in the buying of land, improving homes, saving money, in education, and in high moral characters are remarkable.
The more I come into contact with wealthy people, the more I believe that they are growing in the direction of looking upon their money simply as an instrument which God has placed in their hand for doing good with.
In the economy of God there is but one standard by which an individual can succeed—there is but one for a race.
We try to keep constantly in mind the fact that the worth of the school is to be judged by its graduates.