Journal entry# 21 Booker T. Washington

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 8, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

Whoever he was, I never heard of his taking the least interest in me or providing in any way for my rearing. But I do not find especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the Nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.

Summary:

It is a quote which I found in the “Up from Slavery” of Booker T.Washinton. It talks about how Washington feels about his father.

Response:

I think that this quote is probably about the grief in a slave’s life. He suffered so much in his family. Although he knew that he had a father, he could never know his name. His father was just another slave who had to work for someone. I think it was pretty sad. If I were him, I would try my best to go to see my father. However, he didn’t do so. Moreover, although his father did not do anything for him, he didn’t “find especial fault with him”. He just admitted that living without father was so normal in his life since he was born as a slave. One more thing, Washington understood the society very well. He understood that his father and many other slaves were the “unfortunate victim[s] of the institution”. Therefore, I think that this was one of the reasons encouraged him to improve the African American life. He realized that he had to do something in order to change his generation. He did not want to stay in the same situation forever. Therefore, he worked hard and studied hard. Finally, he became successful and was called “Moses of his races”. He started to give speeches to the African American and tell them to do something to improve their lives right away. In my mind, he was really like the Moses who led the slaves out of the red sea.