CHAPTER X.

THE SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE COTTON STATES’ EXPOSITION, AND INCIDENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH.

Invitation to Accompany a Committee of Atlanta Gentlemen to Washington to Intercede for a Congressional Appropriation for the Cotton States’ Exposition--The Author Among Others Speaks before the Committee on Appropriations--Arguments Set Forth by Him in Favor of an Appropriation--Appropriation Granted--The Negro Building at the Atlanta or Cotton States’ Exposition and the Success of the Negro Exhibit under Chief Commissioner, I. Garland Penn--The Exhibit of the Tuskegee Institute--Author Invited by the Board of Directors to Deliver an Address at the Public Exercises on the Opening Day--He Feels the Weight of this Responsibility--An Account of the Author’s Feelings as the Time Drew Near for the Opening of the Exposition--He Leaves Tuskegee for Atlanta, Accompanied by Mrs. Washington and His Daughter Portia and the Two Boys, Baker and Davidson--Incidents of the Day before the Time for the Opening Exercises at the Exposition--At the Exercises Author is Introduced to the Audience by Ex-Governor Bullock, Who Presided on that Occasion--Author’s Speech in Full--Author Invited by D. C. Gilman of Johns Hopkins University to be one of the Judges of Awards in the Department of Education in Atlanta--An Account of the Reception of His Speech Written by James Creelman, Correspondent to the New York World--Hon. Clark Howell, Editor of the Atlanta Constitution, Writes Concerning the Speech to the New York World--Some Samples of What the Press of the Country Had to Say in Regard to this Speech--His Letter in Full--In a Few Hours After the Speech Author Begins Receiving Messages of Congratulation--He Returns to Tuskegee the Next Day, at Every Station on the Route Meeting Crowds of People Anxious to Shake Hands with Him--Hon. Grover Cleveland, then President of the United States, Writes Author a Letter in Regard to the Atlanta Speech--Author Receives Many Flattering Offers from Lecture Bureaus to Deliver Lectures but Refuses Them All--He Continues His Labors in Behalf of Tuskegee.