The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-11-19
Booker 7. Washington Dies in
Alabama
KNEW DEATH WAS NEAR
Hurried from New York TO Meet End
at Tuskeegee-Born in Slavery,
He Overcame Poverty and
Rose to High Honors.


of Tuskegee Institute for Negroes. is
dead here. Hardening of the arter-
les. following a nervous breakdown.
caused deaths four hours after DR..
Washington arrived here from New
York.
Although he had been in failing
health for several months. the Ne
gro leaders condition became seri-
Gus only last week, while he was i'm
the East He then realized the end
was near. but was determined TO
make the last long trip South.
widow, three children and four
grandchildren survive. John ~ Wash
ington. brother, is superintendent OF
Industries at Tuskegee Institute.
Booker Taliaferro Washington. the
Negro Moses" was born, in slavery,
in log cabin of one room, near
Hale's Ford Va lie was the son
of white planter living near and
colored woman. but so little atten-
tion was paid to the birth of another
child among the slaves on the Bur
roughs plantation that no record or
the date was kept. and It is placed
variously in the year 1857. 1858 and
1859. When the slaves were freed in
1865 the boys mother named him
Booker Taliaferro. after two old Vir-
ginia families; later. at Hampton In
stitute he himself added the surname
OF Washington.
After the close OF the war. while
in nf
Virginia for the support of his moth.
er. he heard OF Hampton Institute.
With few cents in his pocket and
with only vague idea as 10 where
Hampton was, he started out to find
and earn his way there, walking. beg
ging rides, and paying railroad fare
part of the distance to Richmond.
There, penniless and friendless. he
slept under board sidewalk. BY
working on vessel, unloading pig
iron, he earned money TO continue his
50O-mile journey, arriving at Hamp-
ton with 80 cents remaining. He
was graduated i'm 1875. and, after
teaching in West Virginia and study
ing year in Wayland Seminary in
Washington. taught for two years in
Hampton Institute, until elected head
of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama,
where he began his life work as prin-
cipal in 1881. From small shanty
and church, with one teacher and 30
students and borrowed capital OF
5000. the institution grew under DR..
Washington's efforts and guidance TO
its present size, and his work for the
education and betterment of his race
has made his name known the world
over
Harvard University, recognizing his
achievements. conferred upon him in
1896 the degree of master of arts
the first instance in which any New
England college has given colored
man an honorary degree. In 1901
Dartmouth College honored him with
the degree of doctor of laws
Many other honors came to DR..
Washington. In 1899 he took his first
vacation in Is years, making trip
TO Europe, where he was entertained
at dinner by King Frederick and
Queen Louise of Denmark. He was
lionized in London. received by per
sons of distinction on the continent,
and was the guest of Andrew Carne-
gle ut Skibo Castle. In 1901 he was
entertained by President Roosevelt
at dinner in the White House-the
first time that colored man had re-
ceived private invitation of this
kind from any President Of the United
States. Here i'm Boston the degrees
in Freemasonry were conferred upon
DR. Washington in the colored body
of the order. AS speaker he was
we'll known to Boston audiences. and
in 1898 the late John ID. Long. then
secretary of the navy, told the Re-
publican club of Massachusetts that
the president of Tuskegee University
was the best orator in America"
Or. Washington told of taking tea
with Queen Victoria at Windsor Cas-
tie: OF dining with Governors in near
" every state in the north. and of
dining with the late ex-President
Harrison in Paris. as well as with
many other prominent men.
In 1902 he began making his sum
mer home at South Weymouth. In the
property known as the Quincy Loud
estate, at Main and Columbian streets
In 1907 he took up his summer resi-
dence near the home of Theodore
Roosevelt at oyster Bay, Long Is
land. n. Y.
In 1903 DR. Washington was invited
ny Lord Grey. successor OF Ceci
Rhodes as head of the British Soutl
Africa Company. to investigate con
ditions and recommend a system o
individual education for the Negr'
race. upon which that company draw
for labor. but after talking with Presi
dent Roosevelt the president of Tus
kegee declined The problems OF III
Negroes in the republic of Liberia
Africa. both educated American Ne
groes and untutored natives, were al
ways a matter of deep interest to ID
Washington.