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U.S. History 

Celebrating Black History Innovators 

Explore how the contributions of Madam C. J. Walker and Booker T. Washington shaped American life. 

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Learn how Madam C. J. Walker built her company and created economic and philanthropic opportunities. 

Analyze

Tuskegee Institute 

Genre: Photograph | Creator: Frances Benjamin Johnston | Date: 1902 

Background 

In 1902, Frances Benjamin Johnston took this photograph of the chemistry lab at the Tuskegee Institute, a school of higher education for Black Americans. Booker T. Washington was the Alabama school’s first principal. He raised funds, built and expanded the school, and recruited influential teachers, including scientist and inventor George Washington Carver, who is pictured second from the right and is framed by the doorway. 

Examine the photograph of the chemistry lab at the Tuskegee Institute.
Black chemists in a lab, performing experiments.
  • Identify details that reveal what the photographer was most likely trying to convey. 
  • Explain the similarities and differences to today’s classrooms. 

Collaborate

Give One, Get One 

Use the following question to lead a discussion: 

How might Booker T. Washington have reached out to Black Americans to attend the Tuskegee Institute? 

  • Have students write several answers to the question. 
  • Have students move around the room and talk with other students to give and get ideas in response to the question. Students should try to get at least one new idea from each peer conversation. 
  • Call on several students to share an idea they got that shaped their thinking. 

Teacher Resources

Think Like a Historian: Sourcing Information

Use this additional sourcing information to further contextualize the source in order to deepen students’ analysis and evaluation. 

Summary

The photograph shows a well-appointed chemistry lab at the Tuskegee Institute. The students are all Black men wearing suits and ties. 

Purpose

Johnston was a photojournalist who was interested in education and documented several educational institutions, including the Tuskegee Institute. 

Intended Audience

Johnston, who was commissioned by Booker T. Washington to take photographs at the Tuskegee Institute, intended for these photographs to reach a wide audience. It was likely meant to publicize the work being done at the Tuskegee Institute. 

Source Considerations

This source shows a classroom in the Tuskegee Institute at the beginning of the 20th century, but it does not provide information about the school or its significance. 

Scaffolding and Differentiation: Source Analysis Support

Genre    

In a photograph, like in other forms of visual media, the artist chooses what to include in the frame. Have students reflect on the details included in this photograph to help them infer the photographer’s purpose. 

Style   

A photograph reflects a specific moment in time. Have students think about how classrooms today are similar to and different from the one shown in the photograph.  

Analyze and Discuss

To extend discussions, consider asking the following questions.

  • When did Johnston take this photograph?
    • 1902
  • How does the date of creation impact the content of the source?
    • The fact that Johnston took the photograph in 1902, approximately 20 years after Tuskegee was founded, suggests that the school developed and expanded its offerings over time.

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