Inspiration

Book excerpt: Chapter 1 My mother gave me the same name as a famous black man of the nineteen hundreds, Booker T. Washington. This story tells how the name has affected my life; as a child, as a teen, and as an adult. At the age of six, my teacher took me aside and told me that Booker T. was a famous black man who founded Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. I didn't think much about it at the time but as I grew older more and more people began to comment like my teacher had done. I asked my mother why she named me after this famous guy. I told her that I would rather have a name that did not draw so much attention, like my two brothers who were named Billy and Ellis. She told me that she thought I would like the name. We never talked about it again. I was named after my uncle Booker T. Washington, who was named after the famous Booker T. Washington who founded Tuskegee Institute in 1881 and is located in Tuskegee Alabama. My uncle was invited to, and attended a banquet with Booker T. Washington, in Frankfort, Kentucky when he was nine years old. According to my family, my family is not related to him. Let us not forget that he was one of the most famous black Americans of his time. My mom told me that she named me Booker, and that will always be your name. I never talked to her about my name again.