There were two leaders in America's history back when racism was a huge problem. Booker T. Washington and WEB Dubois were the two main leaders that stepped in to help control the issue. But the first leader was Booker T. Washington. Booker Taliaferro Washington was born in a cabin in Virginia in 1856. He is the son of a white man whose identity he never knew. He was a man of the soil. Booker T. believed that every African American had some good in them. He believed that black people shouldn’t work for the whites, but they should work for themselves. He believed that Radical Reconstruction was a mistake. He thought that African Americans started their freedom at the top rather than at the bottom, believing that they were more worried about politics than devoting their energy to the skills and habits of industry that would enable them to earn a decent living. Booker T. asked the white people for help rather than equality because he believed that they wouldn't make it anywhere in society if equality was their main focus. He also wanted the African Americans to be prepared for society and real life situations. He believed that there was more to being book smart and not being able to use what you have learned outside in the work force. He wanted the blacks to have job education so they would know how to do their job and do it the right way. Booker T. was also known for being a very good public speaker, speaking both to blacks and whites. Booker T. Washington was the most realistic speaker back in that time. He knew that the blacks would never be equal to the whites and he came to accept it instead of fighting it. He also believed that instead of fighting for equal rights, the African Americans should spend their time on working to better themselves as a person. Booker T. Washington believed in focusing on having an education for real life jobs rather than asking for equality from the whites. He believed that African Americans would never be thoroughly accepted throughout the country. We are in the year of 2012 and racism is still hanging around. As sad as this may seem, Booker T. Washington was right and what he preached. African Americans