Washington's mother cried tears of joy, thankful that her prayers had been answered.
Read this excerpt from the autobiography of civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, and then answer the question.
How did Washington’s mother react to the news?
She was angry it had taken so long to happen.
She decided to immediately move to the North.
She cried tears of joy, thankful that her prayers had been answered.
“Some man who seemed to be a stranger (a United States officer, I presume) made a little speech and then read a rather long paper - the Emancipation Proclamation, I think. After the reading we were told that we were all free, and could go when and where we pleased. My mother, who was standing by my side, leaned over and kissed her children, while tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She explained to us what it all meant, that this was the day for which she had been so long praying, but fearing that she would never live to see.”
–Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery, 1901
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