Building a Legacy: Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald, and the Power of Education

Welcome to another episode of The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast. In this episode, we welcome Stephanie Deutsch, acclaimed writer and critic whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Weekly Standard, The Millions blog, and numerous local publications. Ms. Deutsch is the author of You Need a Schoolhouse: Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald, and the Building of Schools for the Segregated South, a compelling exploration of one of the most impactful educational partnerships in American history.

Growing up in segregated Arlington, Virginia, where she attended an all-white elementary school, Ms. Deutsch offers a personal perspective on how recent and lasting the impact of segregation remains. Through research and lived experience, she highlights educations power to drive change.

At the center of our conversation is the extraordinary collaboration between Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute, and Julius Rosenwald, president and part-owner of Sears. Together, they started a transformative school-building program that led to the creation of over 5,000 Rosenwald Schools, which provided access to quality education for Black children across the segregated South. The generations that attended these schools would go on to become key leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, proving that education truly is the foundation of change.

Join us as we dive into the deep history and ongoing relevance of Washington and Rosenwalds partnership, the importance of equitable access to quality education, and the role of education in civil rights and social transformation. Be sure to subscribe to The Silk Stocking Sisters Podcast on the ALIVE Podcast Network app for more episodes!