Read both poems below aloud as a class, with each verse being read by a different student. 

• “Booker T. and W.E.B.” by Dudley Randall, 1969
• “The Ballad of Booker T” by Langston Hughes, 1941 (*Gr.5 +)
  • Student Context could be developed prior to this lesson through reading age-appropriate picture books such as With Books and Bricks by Susanne Slade or More than Anything Else by Marie Bradley

Have students discuss and analyze the poems in pairs, with pairs answering from selected questions:

• Each poem grapples with how to best remember Booker T. Washington. Which poem do you think best represents him? Why?
• What was happening when these poems were written that may have influenced the poets’ opinions on Booker T. Washington’s ideas? Explain why this context is important.
• How should historians evaluate the legacy of Booker T. Washington? What should we remember him for, and why?

Finally, have each pair write an original poem to capture what they see as the legacy of Booker T. Washington. Leave time for students to share their poems with the class.