Booker T. Washington Center

WHO WAS BOOKER T. WASHINGTON

Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) Born in Virginia, Booker Taliaferro Washington is known as the foremost black educator of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. During his life time, he was known as an African-American educator, author, orator, and advisor to several Presidents of the United States. In 1881, he founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama (now known as Tuskegee University), which grew immensely and focused on educating African Americans in agricultural pursuit. Washington was the dominant leader in the African American community and of the contemporary black elite.

Booker Taliaferro Washington

HISTORY

During World War I, the Victory Club provided support services for African American soldiers and social activities for the broader African American community. When the war ended, the government closed the Victory Club. In response to the tremendous need felt by returning black soldiers and their families, which led to the founding of the Booker T. Washington Community Center.

Timothy Cook

Program Director

FOUNDED IN 1923

Named after Booker T the educator, writer, and speaker, who was an instrumental leader for the African-American community following the American Civil War. His autobiography, Up from Slavery, is still widely read today. Washington believed that the best means of improving conditions for people was education.

OUR MISSION

Key Benefits Of Our Services

VOLUNTEER OPORTUNITIES

BTWC has many volunteer opportunities for those interested in sharing their time and talents to benefit the Center. Experiences vary from volunteering for one-time special events, to ongoing involvement in program activities. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering, please visit BTWC in person for an application or call 453-5744. Please note that all volunteers who will be working regularly with youth require criminal background checks, and child abuse registry clearance, all of which are provided by BTWC.

We welcome community volunteerism at BTWC!

BTWC welcomes community members who would like to volunteer either on a regular basis or for specific events and activities. Student internships are also available for those interested in fields such as child care, Community Outreach, and other related areas. Please contact BTWC for more information.

About Us

VALUES

*Support all people by treating them fairly and with Respect Honesty and Integrity

*Commitment To Community Creative Solutions

*Compassion

*Partnerships and collaborations

CHARACTER

*courage – strength in the face of pain

*Honesty – the quality of being honest, having integrity

*attention – the act or power of fixing the mind on something

*resilience -ability to recover from or adjust to change

*Achieve – effort, skill, and courage

*Calm – not showing or feeling nervous, anger, or other strong emotions

*trust – belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of something

*excellence – outstanding - ready – fully prepared

BTWC DIRECTORS

Board of Directors

Award winning team of professional educators, collaborating for the better of the community and the Booker T. Washington of Erie. They have vast experience of both small and large scale communities.