Late in his career, Dr. Washington was criticized by the leaders of the NAACP, which was formed in 1909, especially W.E.B. DuBois, who demanded a harder line on civil rights protests. After being labeled “The Great Accommodator” by DuBois, Dr. Washington replied that confrontation would lead to disaster for the outnumbered blacks, and that cooperation with supportive whites was the only way to overcome pervasive racism in the long run. Although he did some aggressive civil rights work secretively, such as funding court cases,[1] he seemed to truly believe in skillful accommodation to many of the social realities of the age of segregation.[2]. While apparently resigned to many undesirable social conditions in the short term, he also clearly had his eyes on a better future for blacks. Through his own personal experience, Dr. Washington knew that good education was a major and powerful tool for individuals to collectively accomplish that better future.