Why.... did Washington accept segregation??? Any good reasons???
To understand why Washington accepted segregation, it is important to note that this acceptance did not reflect the views of all African Americans or even of Booker T. Washington himself. Rather, Washington's approach to racial inequality, known as the "Atlanta Compromise," emphasized the idea of accommodating segregation in order to advance the economic and educational opportunities for African Americans.
Washington was a prominent black leader and educator in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He believed that in order to achieve progress for African Americans, they needed to first prove their economic worth to white society. He advocated for African Americans to work diligently, acquire vocational skills, and establish themselves as valuable contributors to society. By demonstrating their economic value, Washington believed that racial prejudice and discrimination would gradually diminish.
Many African Americans and social justice activists, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, criticized Washington for accepting segregation and focusing primarily on economic advancement rather than pursuing full civil rights. However, it is important to recognize that Washington's acceptance of segregation was influenced by the context of the time and the limited options available to African Americans in the post-Reconstruction era.
It is worth noting that Washington's acceptance of segregation was met with both support and opposition within the African American community and among white Americans. Over time, the civil rights movement emerged and challenged the notion of separate but equal facilities, ultimately leading to the desegregation efforts of the mid-20th century.
In conclusion, Washington's acceptance of segregation was a strategic approach aimed at slowly improving the economic conditions and educational opportunities for African Americans in a time when full civil rights seemed unattainable. While this approach is not universally accepted or seen as a good reason, it is important to understand the historical context behind Washington's position.
Booker T. Washington, as many leaders, believed that change came slowly. It wasn't effective to agitate for rapid changes.
Booker T. Washington!
Here are his words.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1152
Are you asking about Booker T. Washington or Washington, D.C. or George Washington?
Most people accepted segregation because it was the law in some states. It was an ingrained custom for both whites and blacks, and customs are hard to break.
For instance, in the early 60s I overheard a white owner of a fabric shop in a northern city express her fears that if she hired an African-American clerk, that she'd lose her white customers. That was the conventional wisdom among many people at that time.