The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-01-31
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON'S
Tenth Negro Conference Meets
February 10Th and 10th.
Tuskegee Ala. Jan. "a 'o2.

gro conference Will be neld mere |
Feb. 10 and 20. The conference is
foremost of all institutions among |
the colored people of the United
States, and was originated ten
years ago by Booker T. Wash
ington, the principal of Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial Institute.
Ten years ago Mr.. Washington
thought to call some of the colored
people together for discussion of
the condition and needs of the
colored race in the South. He sent
out invitations to some rs colored
farmers, mechanics, teachers and
ministers, and was astounded when
more than 400 of his race walked
into the convention hall at the
appointed hour and answered,
"here."
Believing that so great an out
pouring indicated wholesome
desire to bring about better con-
dition for negroes in the United
States. Mr. Washington threw into
the project that energy and in
telligence characteristic of this
foremost of the oolored men of
America. In another two years he
had thousand colored men in
conference, and of late years ne
has had as many as 1000 together.
AS Booker Washington is
practical man, so the TusKegee
Negro conference has become a
practical convention. 1t has set
ahead of itself these pegs, better
homes, better schools, higher
degree of skill and good morals
for the negro in the United States,
and it is working toward them with
might and main. Asked as to the
prospectus ahead of the conference,
Mr.. Washington said:
cit will accomplish great deal.
The uneducated black man of the
South, especially in the country
districts, has more natural common
sense than the uneducated man of
almost any other race.
81 made up my mind that people
who could see so clearly into theil
own conditions, and could describe
them so vividly as can the common
farming class of colored people in
the South, could be led to do a
good deal toward their own better
ment. This led me to call the first
session of the Tuskegee Negro
Conference, a movement through
which l hoped to interest the oldel
generation of colored people to pu
forth an effort to work for theil
own elevation in some way tina
had not already been tried
AS the conference increased il
size and interest it began to attrac
to its sessions as observers man,
professional teachers of both races
and in time second days session
was provided at which these per
sons could compare notes of thei
observations at the meetings of tn
day before, and in the light Of thos
observations discuss the question:
which concerned their own i'm
mediate work.
The first days session of tn
conference assemblies in Tuskege
Institute chapel, handsome brlc
church of modern style and finish
capable of seating 2400 person
and usually proving none too larg
for the audience which attends tn
conference. This building, lik
nearly all of those at Tuskege
Institute, was erected by th
students themselves as a part Q
their industrial education. The
even made the bricks, 100000 i
number, which are built into th
walls. The second days session
known as the "workers' cor
ference" meets in the chapel c
Porter Hall, one of the institut
buildings. Principal Booker
Washington presides at all of tn
sessions.
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