# Dignity in the Field and the Poem by Booker T. Washington > “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” > **— Booker T. Washington**, *Simple Reminders on Real American Pride* ## Sources and Context - **Direct or authoritative text:** [Atlanta Exposition Address, September 18, 1895 — Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/static/classroom-materials/jim-crow-segregation/documents/speech.pdf) - **Series source and editorial context:** [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]] — entry 016, “Dignity in the Field and the Poem.” - **Why it belongs:** The American standard dignifies useful labor and cultural achievement without dividing them into superior and inferior callings. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/American|American Collection]] - **Series source:** [[american/American Ethos - Simple Reminders on Real American Pride|Simple Reminders on Real American Pride]] - **American route:** [[american/American Ethos - Cultural Thesis 06 - The Common Standard|The Common Standard]] - **American route:** [[american/American Aesthetic - Design and Material Culture|Design and Material Culture]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/American Civic Character|American Civic Character]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” — Booker T. Washington, Simple Reminders on Real American Pride https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-real-american-pride-016-dignity-in-the-field-and-the-poem ```