Vocal Point-William J. Federer

Topic: Booker T. Washington, a True Hero.

One of the great American stories that should be better known is that of the life of a former slave, Booker T. Washington. He was born in 1856 and died in 1915. He was the first black to speak at Harvard and the first black guest at the White House. He was a devout Bible-reader, and he wrote an inspirational autobiography, called, Up From Slavery. Here’s an example from his life: a simple education was not anything provided to him that he could take for granted. He struggled to get one at great personal sacrifice. He once said, “I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed.” Washington effectively founded and presided for more than twenty years the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He worked tirelessly and selflessly to build up the school, providing all sorts of opportunities for African Americans in his day and beyond. He was known as the “most outstanding Black leader of his day.” He was an inspiration to all who know his story. So why isn’t Booker T. Washington better known today? Have woke politics somehow buried his legacy? Bestselling author Bill Federer has written a book, entitled, The Strength and Genius of Booker T. Washington. Bill Federer joins Jerry Newcombe to discuss what we can learn from this amazing American. www.americanminute.com