The Atlanta Exposition Address is the fortieth chapter of Booker T.
Washington’s autobiography. This autobiography was called Up From Slavery and
it was written in 1901. The chapter begins by telling the reader that Booker T.
Washington, the author, was in the Atlanta Exposition representing the Negro
enterprise and Negro civilization. He then describes how he gave a brief speech
to the white and black community, and then continues by writing about some
personal experiences and his point of view on some particular issues. Some of
these experiences and issues include the outcome of his speech, how he meets and
thinks about the President of the United States, the invitation to be a judge in
an educational contest, the Negro ministry, and voting. In this chapter, Booker
T. Washington’s main theme is how two different races can live together in
order to achieve progress. In his persuasive speech, he tries to convince black
and white people that they should give their best for the prosperity of the
South. He also tries to persuade people to make friends, no matter what their
skin color or place of birth is. He emphasizes that if two different races can
get to the point where they can trust each other, then they will be surrounded
by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and unresentful people that the
world has ever seen. The fact that Up From Slavery is an autobiography clearly
indicates that the book’s point of view is in first person. The reader can
make sure of this by noticing that Booker T. Washington, the author, is the one
who tells the reader what is going on, what he thinks about life, what his
feelings are, and what he thinks about other people. In this chapter the reader
can encounter some insights that will evoke feelings. In other words, a great
deal of emotion is involved. An example of these insights would be when Booker
T. Washington, the next day of the Atlanta Exposition, was surprised to find
himself pointed out and surrounded by a crowd of men who whished to shake his
hand. In order for the reader to feel something, he needs to understand that the
author was black, and in that time, black people used to be slaves. The reader
needs to know the author had never felt something like that in his life. By
being black, nobody cared about him before until that moment. I think that in
this chapter there are some very interesting and brilliant ideas. I actually
thought that black people were illiterate, but now I know I’m wrong. I thought
that they were illiterate because, just as the author described the Negro
ministry, a race with a few years out of slavery had no time or opportunity to
educate themselves. I really think that Booker T. Washington was an honest,
sincere, and extremely smart person. In order to think about life they way he
did, that requires wisdom and not everyone has it.