Atlanta Compromise

The Atlanta Compromise was a proposal made by African American leader Booker T. Washington in 1895. In a speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, he argued that Black Americans should focus on vocational education and economic self-reliance instead of demanding immediate social and political equality. Washington believed that by proving their usefulness in the economy, African Americans could gradually gain the respect and rights they sought. While it aimed to promote economic advancement, it faced criticism for seemingly accepting racial segregation and delaying civil rights efforts.