Born: 4/5/1856 Hale's Ford

Died: 11/14/1915 Tuskegee, Alabama

Booker Taliaferro Washington was an African-American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community.

Business / Schooling:

• Wayland Seminary (1878–1879), Hampton University (1875)

Awards / Achievements:

• Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants.For his contributions to American society, Washington was granted an honorary master's degree from Harvard University in 1896 and an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth College in 1901.