Georgia General Assembly · Full text

SR 585: Washington, Booker T.; honoring

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Senate Resolution 585

By: Senators James of the 28th, Kemp of the 38th, Jackson of the 41st and Sims of the 12th

A RESOLUTION

Honoring Booker T. Washington; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, born a slave in 1856, Booker T. Washington, was a visionary educator, leader, and advocate for African American advancement, who made enduring contributions to the State of Georgia and the nation through his tireless work in education, civil rights, and economic empowerment; and

WHEREAS, in 1895, Booker T. Washington served as a presenter at the historic Atlanta Exposition to the Cotton States, where he managed the Negro Building, oversaw its construction and workmanship, and delivered a landmark address that emphasized dignity, self-reliance, and interracial cooperation; and

WHEREAS, Booker T. Washington traveled with Georgia leaders to Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislative support for the Atlanta Exposition, and successfully persuaded President Grover Cleveland to spend one hour touring the Negro Building, thereby elevating national awareness of African American craftsmanship and achievement; and

WHEREAS, further supporting the State of Georgia, he was a featured presenter at the Georgia Christian Worker Conference, where he inspired faith-based leaders and community builders with his message of moral leadership, education, and service; and

WHEREAS, he personally contributed $1,000 toward the desegregation of schools in Augusta, Georgia, a gift that led to the naming of the first African American school in the city as Booker T. Washington High School, a lasting tribute to his commitment to education; and

WHEREAS, he served as a trusted advisor to President William McKinley, President Theodore Roosevelt, and President William Howard Taft, and accepted an invitation to dine at the White House—an unprecedented honor that symbolized progress in race relations; and

WHEREAS, he founded the National Business League in 1900, an organization that continues to empower Black entrepreneurs, and recently celebrated its 125th anniversary in Atlanta, affirming his legacy of economic uplift; and

WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this exemplary educator, leader, and advocate for African American advancement be appropriately recognized.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body honor and uplift the legacy of Booker T. Washington.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press.