When he was nine years old, he and his family walked to the neighboring state of West Virginia in search of financial opportunity.

He was smart and hungry for an education and after a long day working in the coal mines, he attended school at night. When he was sixteen, he travelled to Hampton, Virginia to attend another school. He so impressed his teachers that he was invited to join the faculty after graduation.

His reputation grew until a new school for African-Americans in Tuskegee, Alabama asked him to become its first president.

He accepted and moved to Tuskegee. Upon arrival, he asked to be shown the school and was told by a school supporter, “There isn’t any; yet”.

He arranged to meet in a church and started looking for money. He persisted until he had sufficient funds to continue the school. One man said he was successful at fundraising because so many people were impressed by his integrity and determination.

As he pursued financial commitments, he managed to get an appointment with Collis Huntington, a rail-way owner and one of the wealthiest men in America. When Huntington gave him $2, the young presi-dent thanked him and arranged for a second appointment.

At the next appointment, he again politely asked for a donation and was turned down. He continued to meet with Huntington until the business leader relented and gave him $50,000 (worth approximately 1.7 million dollars today). Huntington was so moved by the young man’s courteous persistence he continued to make large donations over the years.

Booker T. Washington built the Tuskegee Institute into one of the finest and most influential schools in America. He did this because he simply “kept trying.”

Whatever God has called you to do, “keep trying.”

The Bible says in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” NIV

Go to www.choosegreatness.com today for more insight into living a great life.

You can watch Ron’s show, “Choose Greatness: Your Key to a Happier Life” on our YouTube Chan-nel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hhhg3gJWYP8auB02aoerA/videos

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