Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.– Ephesians 5:1
Booker T. Washington became the first African American to be awarded an honorary degree from Harvard University on this day in 1896. From slavery to emancipation, from poverty to scholarship, Washington was determined to pursue his education and enrolled at the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia in 1872. To balance the expenses, he worked as a janitor. He graduated in 1875 and began teaching children and adults. He later studied at Wayland Seminary in Washington D.C., then returned to Hampton University as a staff member. An advocate for education in crafts and industrial skills, Washington was chosen to lead the new school for African Americans at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in 1881. His passion for education and skills training, during the difficult season of the post-Reconstruction era, led Harvard University to invite Washington to the alumni dinner where he was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree.
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For Secretary Miguel Cardona to seek the Lord’s direction as he heads the Education Department.
- For First Lady Jill Biden as she advocates for education and teaches at Northern Virginia Community College.
