The Atlanta Compromise was a speech delivered by Booker T. Washington at the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia on September 18, 1895. In his speech, Washington articulated his vision for the economic and social advancement of African Americans in the South. He emphasized the importance of vocational education and self-help as a means for Black progress, and advocated for Black people to focus on economic opportunities and labor skills rather than demanding immediate political and social equality.

Washington's speech was controversial at the time because it was seen as promoting accommodation and conciliation with white southerners, rather than advocating for civil rights and equal treatment. Critics, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, viewed the Atlanta Compromise as a capitulation to white supremacy and a betrayal of the struggle for racial equality.

Despite the criticisms, the Atlanta Compromise had a significant impact on the direction of Black activism and advocacy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It influenced the growth of institutions such as the Tuskegee Institute, founded by Washington, which focused on vocational education and training for African Americans. The debate between Washington's accommodationist approach and Du Bois's more radical stance on civil rights continues to be a point of contention in discussions of Black history and activism.