Booker T. Washington: “Now I want to suggest to you to-night that this very thing of discouragement, as an element in life, is for a purpose.”

This tenderness and sympathy on the part of those held in bondage was a result of their kindly and generous nature.

Until that question was asked it had never occurred to me that there was no period of my life that was devoted to play.

These discussions showed that they understood the situation, and that they kept themselves informed of events by what was termed the “grape-vine” telegraph.

I knew that if we failed it would injure the whole race.