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.