Why did Booker T Washington oppose imperialism?

Booker T. Washington was a prominent African American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. While Washington did not speak out extensively on foreign policy, he is generally remembered for prioritizing racial uplift and economic self-determination for African Americans within the United States over other political considerations.

Booker T. Washington's opposition to imperialism can be inferred from his philosophy of focusing on self-improvement and economic progress for Black people in America first. Washington believed that African Americans should concentrate on building economic stability and adopting practical skills that would allow them to be self-reliant and successfully integrate into American society. He felt that improving the conditions of African Americans at home was more pressing than the expansion of American power abroad.

Moreover, during Washington's time, imperialism was often discussed in the context of the American occupation of the Philippines and other territories following the Spanish-American War of 1898. Anti-imperialists argued that imperialism was antithetical to American democratic ideals and involved the subjugation of other peoples. They believed it was hypocritical to advocate for liberty at home while denying it to others abroad.

Washington's stance on the matter would have been influenced by his overall strategy of accommodation, which emphasized working within the system and avoiding direct confrontation over political and social rights. Thus, he likely saw imperialism as a diversion from the crucial task of advancing the economic and educational status of Black Americans.