"Margaret-Murray-Washington" (March 9,1865-June 26,1925)

Was the principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute,which later became Tuskegee University.Margaret was the third wife of Booker T.Washington she was inducted into Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1972.

She was one of ten children born to sharecroppers.Her daddy was of Irish descent and her mama was African American.Her daddy died when she was seven,and eventually was led be foster raised by Quakers.

As a child she spent much of her time reading and quickly excelled in school.By the age fourteen,she was so advanced in her studies in her studies that school offered her a teaching position.Determined to further her  teaching career at the age of nineteen,she enrolled in Fisk University where she completed the college preparatory course in five years and college in four.

It was at Fisk that Margaret first met Booker.Regarding her as a model student,Booker asked to to take over the position of Lady Principal,formerly held by by his deceased second wife.By 1890,Margaret was writing to Booker to express her deep feelings for him.He proposed the following year and,after some hesitation,she accepted Booker's proposed and they were married in 1893.Margaret & Booker shared a home with Booker's relatives and his children from his previous marriage until "The Oaks",the homestead which was built for their family family was contructed in 1901.Booker was reluctant to share his feelings with Margaret,and often left her to attend to his children while he was away on business.Booker never got over the loss of of his wives,he believed that Margaret provided a well-ordered household,and the two were generally happy with their Marriage.

During her tenure as Lady Principal of Tuskegee,she also created the Tuskegee Woman's Club and merged local organizations with women clubs to help improve the values and liberation of womanhood in African American women of the Jim Crow south.In 1895 Margaret gave an influential speech titled "titled Individual work for Moral Elevation"at the First National Association of the Colored Women of America.She is credited with co-founding the National Association of Colored Women in 1896.

She founded country schools,taught women how to live and attend to attend to their home,worked for the improvement of prisons,started the Mt.Meigs school for boys and an industrial school for girls at Tuskegee,and constantly worked for the betterment of the poor and neglected.In 1912,Margaret became the fifth president for the National Association of Colored Women.

After the death of Booker in 1915,Margaret remained a powerful source in the women's liberation movement and improving the educational system for African Americans.She became deeply involvedin domestic education for mama's in Tuskegee and in supporting schools for children at surrounding plantations.

Like the programs advocated by Booker,Margaret focused on domestic and vocational education.

Margaret remained at the "The Oaks"until her death.She is buried at the university cemetery,adjacent to Booker's burial site.