How did Booker t Washington get his name?

Answer 1

Mr. Washington discussed the origin of his name in his autobiography, Up From Slavery:

When he began to attend the newly opened school for blacks in his town (Malden, West Virginia), he was embarrassed that he only had one name - Booker, by which he had been called throughout childhood - whereas most of the other kids had more than one. Quoting Washington, "When I heard the school-roll called, I noticed that all of the children had at least two names, and some of them indulged in what seemed to me the extravagance of having three. I was in deep perplexity, because I knew that the teacher would demand of me at least two names, and I had only one."

To resolve the issue, Booker called himself "Booker Washington" when asked by the teacher what his full name was. When he later learned that his mother had given him the name "Booker Taliaferro," he lengthened "Booker Washington" to the full and famous "Booker T. Washington."

He reflected, "I think there are not many men in our country who have had he privilege of naming themselves in the way that I have."

Answer 2

Mr. Washington discussed the origin of his name in his autobiography, Up From Slavery:

When he began to attend the newly opened school for blacks in his town (Malden, West Virginia), he was embarrassed that he only had one name - Booker, by which he had been called throughout childhood - whereas most of the other kids had more than one. Quoting Washington, "When I heard the school-roll called, I noticed that all of the children had at least two names, and some of them indulged in what seemed to me the extravagance of having three. I was in deep perplexity, because I knew that the teacher would demand of me at least two names, and I had only one."

To resolve the issue, Booker called himself "Booker Washington" when asked by the teacher what his full name was. When he later learned that his mother had given him the name "Booker Taliaferro," he lengthened "Booker Washington" to the full and famous "Booker T. Washington."

He reflected, "I think there are not many men in our country who have had he privilege of naming themselves in the way that I have."