The Atlanta Compromise was a speech given by Booker T. Washington on September 18, 1895, at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia. In his speech, Washington outlined his philosophy of racial uplift and economic advancement for African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South.

Washington emphasized the importance of vocational education, self-reliance, and economic self-sufficiency as the key to the progress and advancement of African Americans. He believed that by focusing on acquiring practical skills and economic security, African Americans could gradually earn the respect and acceptance of the white community.

The Atlanta Compromise was criticized by some African American leaders, most notably W.E.B. Du Bois, who believed that Washington's accommodationist approach upheld white supremacy and perpetuated racial inequality. Despite the controversy surrounding the Atlanta Compromise, Washington's ideas and philosophy had a significant impact on the African American civil rights movement and influenced the strategies of future leaders in the struggle for equality and justice.