1. The southern whites thought to show the northern whites at the Exposition how “kindly” they were toward “their” former slaves.

2. booker T. Washington, in all good intentions, meant to tell the world that if the Southern Whites would start working with and not pulling against the labors of the African Americans in the south, and if the former slaves would stop fleeing the south and “cast down their lot where they were” and work together to rebuild the south into a strong and viable part of the whole of the United States, then everyone would succeed and prosper.

Obviously, the man was more of a dreamer than a visionary to think that was going to happen without a struggle; given the ignorance of the white southern former slave holders and tenant farmers and poor white trash in the south.

But that is pretty much what this good man wanted to convey.

Work together and thrive; or work against each other and perish.