Booker T. Washington's advice in his 1895 speech at the Cotton States and International Exposition can be best summarized as advocating for African Americans to focus on economic and industrial progress, rather than demanding immediate social and political equality. He emphasized the importance of education and vocational training for economic advancement and urged African Americans to prove their worth through hard work, thrift, and self-reliance. He believed that by demonstrating their economic value to society, African Americans would eventually gain respect and acceptance from white Americans.
