Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is an American institution of higher learning located in Alabama. The school opened on July 4, 1881 under the leadership of Booker T. Washington as a school for the training of teachers.The campus is still centered on the grounds of a plantation which Dr. Washington bought in 1882, during Reconstruction. The buildings were constructed by students, many of whom earned all or part of their expenses. The school was a living example of Dr. Washington's dedication to the pursuit of self-reliance. One of his great concerns was to teach African-American former slaves the practical skills needed to succeed at farming or other trades. One of its most noteworthy professors was Dr. George Washington Carver, who was recruited to teach there by Dr. Washington.
The Tuskegee Airmen, a corps of African-American military pilots were also trained there during World War II.
Claude McKay studied there briefly in 1912.
