Within the African American Community, Leaders Have Debated the Efficacy of Industrial Education Versus Liberal Education to Determine the Most Effective Means of Securing African Liberation

Throughout the life of Booker T. Washington expressed in his autobiography, Up From Slavery, that one cannot succeed solely on a liberal education, but must accompany this with that of an industrial education as well. He believed that with this type of education, the black man could provide necessary services not only for himself, but also for those in his community as well.
According to Washington, "We wanted to teach the students how to bathe; how to care for their teeth and clothing. We wanted to teach them what to eat, and how to eat it properly, and how to care for their rooms. …