Chattanooga in Hamilton County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Life of Booker Taliaferro Washington

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 28, 2021

1. The Life of Booker Taliaferro Washington Marker

Inscription.

The Life of Booker Taliaferro Washington. . , "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome"

1856 - April 5, birth in Hale's Ford, VA Franklin Co., on Burroughs Plantation , 1865 - Freed and family moved to Malden, VA , 1872 - Walked most of the way to Hampton, VA. Gained admission to Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen , 1875 - Graduated from Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen , 1876-1877 - Taught school in Malden, VA , 1878 - Attended Wayland Seminary for eight months , 1879-1881 - Taught at Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen , 1881 - Accepted as the 1st president of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute , 1882 - August 2, Married Fannie Norton Smith in Charleston, Kanawha Co., WV , 1883 - June 6, Birth of Portia Marshall Washington , 1884 - May 4, Mrs. Fannie dies in Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL , 1885 - August 11, Married Olivia A. Davidson in Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL , 1887 - May 29, Birth of Booker T. Washington Jr. , 1889 - February 6, Birth of Earnest Davidson Washington , 1889 - May 9, Mrs. Olivia dies at Massachusetts General Hospital , 1892 - October 12, Married Margaret "Maggie” James Murray , 1895 - September 18, Delivered his most famous speech in Atlanta, GA , 1896 - June 24, First African American to receive an honorary Master of Arts degree from Harvard University , 1915 - November 14, Dr. Washington dies at Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL , 1946-1951 - Booker T. Washington Memorial Half Dollar Minted 1951 1954 Booker T. Washington depicted on the U.S. Half Dollar

Firsts: , 1881 - First Principal and Teacher at Tuskegee Institute , 1895 - First African American man asked to speak from the same platform as whites, his Atlanta Exposition address , 1896 - First African American to receive an honorary degree from Harvard University , 1901 - First African American to dine at the White House , 1940 - First African American to appear on a U.S. Stamp , 1942 - First major ocean going vessel named for an African American, the liberty ship Booker T. Washington

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome"

1856 - April 5, birth in Hale's Ford, VA Franklin Co., on Burroughs Plantation
1865 - Freed and family moved to Malden, VA
1872 - Walked most of the way to Hampton, VA. Gained admission to Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen
1875 - Graduated from Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen
1876-1877 - Taught school in Malden, VA
1878 - Attended Wayland Seminary for eight months
1879-1881 - Taught at Hampton Agriculture Institute for Freedmen
1881 - Accepted as the 1st president of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute
1882 - August 2, Married Fannie Norton Smith in Charleston, Kanawha Co., WV
1883 - June 6, Birth of Portia Marshall Washington
1884 - May 4, Mrs. Fannie dies in Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL
1885 - August 11, Married Olivia A. Davidson in Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL
1887 - May 29, Birth of Booker T. Washington Jr.
1889 - February 6, Birth of Earnest Davidson Washington
1889 - May 9, Mrs. Olivia dies at Massachusetts General Hospital
1892 - October 12, Married Margaret "Maggie” James Murray
1895 - September 18, Delivered his most famous speech in Atlanta, GA
1896 - June 24, First African American to receive an honorary Master of Arts degree from Harvard University
1915 - November 14, Dr. Washington dies at Tuskegee, Macon Co., AL
1946-1951 - Booker T. Washington Memorial Half Dollar Minted 1951 1954 Booker T. Washington depicted on the U.S. Half Dollar

Firsts:
1881 - First Principal and Teacher at Tuskegee Institute
1895 - First African American man asked to speak from the same platform as whites, his Atlanta Exposition address
1896 - First African American to receive an honorary degree from Harvard University
1901 - First African American to dine at the White House
1940 - First African American to appear on a U.S. Stamp
1942 - First major ocean going vessel named for an African American, the liberty ship Booker T. Washington

Erected by Tennessee

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State Parks.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1865.

Location. 35° 6.698′ N, 85° 10.524′ W. Marker is in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Hamilton County. It can be reached from Champion Road just south of Blue Oak Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5801 Champion Rd, Chattanooga TN 37416, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow

Booker T. Washington image. Click for full size.

via Wikipedia, unknown

2. Booker T. Washington

flies: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Booker T. Washington State Park (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Booker Taliaferro Washington• (about 600 feet away); The Tuskegee Institute (about 700 feet away); Cast Down Your Buckets (about 800 feet away); Booker T. Washington School (approx. 1.8 miles away); Harrison Academy (approx. 2 miles away); Sherman Crosses the River (approx. 2½ miles away); Bonny Oaks School (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chattanooga.

Also see . . .
1. Booker T. Washington (History.com). (Submitted on March 8, 2021, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.)
2. History and Mission of Tuskegee University. (Submitted on March 8, 2021, by Byron Hooks of Sandy Springs, Georgia.)

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, February 28, 2021

3. The Life of Booker Taliaferro Washington Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on September 16, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2021, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 554 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 1, 2021, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 2. submitted on September 16, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on March 1, 2021, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.