Tuskegee University
See also the
Tuskegee Airmen, a corps of
African-American military pilots trained there during
World War II.
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Tuskegee University is an American institution of higher learning located in
Tuskegee,
Alabama. The school opened on
July 4,
1881 under the leadership of
Booker T. Washington as a school for the training of teachers.
The campus is still centered on the grounds of a plantation which Dr. Washington bought in
1882. The buildings were constructed by students, many of whom earned all or part of their expenses. The school was a living example of Dr. Washington's dedication to the pursuit of self-reliance. One of his great concerns was to teach African-American former slaves the practical skills needed to succeed at farming or other trades. One of its most noteworthy professors was Dr.
George Washington Carver, who was recruited to teach there by Dr. Washington.
Washington had his students do not only agricultural and domestic work, but also erect buildings. This was done in order to teach his students to see labor not only as practical, but also as beautiful and dignified.
In 1941, in an effort to train black aviators, a training squadron was established at Tuskegee Institute. These aviators became known as the
Tuskegee Airmen.
Claude McKay studied at the University briefly in
1912. Musician
Lionel Richie is a Tuskegee graduate.
External links
\n*Tuskegee University\nCategory:Universities and colleges in Alabama
