S O U T H E R N P R O V I N C E
Brother Washington returned to Tuskegee to begin his graduate studies at Tuskegee Institute, earning his Master’s Degree inAgriculture Education. Upon completion, he accepted various jobs teaching in public schools in South Alabama. One of these schools was in Bullock County, Alabama, where he and his bride homesteaded on an over 100-acre property in the community of Midway. As a teacher, he remembered telling his high school agriculture students of his accomplishments. When many of them learned of his attendance and graduation from Tuskegee Institute, they would say, “that’s too hard to do.” Brother Washington would immediately correct them. He explained, “If I could do it, then you too can do it.” This leadership and guidance led to at least four of his former high school students attending and graduating from his alma mater, Tuskegee Institute. He is proud to say that he remains in contact with some of these same students to this day. After leaving the public school system, Brother Washington again returned to “the pride of the swift, growing south,” where he took a job at Tuskegee Institute for a couple of years. He worked on campus in community action as Executive Director of the Macon County CommunityActionAgency. Brother Washington credits one of his prior professors, Dr. Grady Taylor, as an individual who truly helped him to gain employment in the field of agriculture and community action.
Brother Washington’s energetic and achieving spirit, which he developed along the way, was noticed by others. So much so that he garnished the attention of thenAlabama Governor George C. Wallace. As the story goes, Governor Wallace heard about how Brother Washington had made a name for himself. The Governor knew he had to have him as a part of his staff. It’s been said, Governor Wallace told a member of his team to “get that Freddie Washington down here.” The Governor offered him an increase of $1,500.00 more each monthly pay period to join his staff in Montgomery, Alabama, as Assistant Administrator for the Alabama Development Office Community Actions Director. Because of the political and racial climate, his Silhouette was reluctant to have him take on this job. Accepting this post would mean that he would become the first black hired at this level in the Alabama state government. After much prayer and discussion, he took the position, serving in this role for 16 years. The position function was to distribute funds to low-income Alabama citizens who qualified for financial assistance overseeing a routine annual operating budget of sometimes over 4 million dollars answering directly to Governor Wallace about the program’s operation. According to the American Institute for Economic Research, 4 million dollars in 1978, is equivalent to a little more than 16 million dollars today. Brother Washington described then- Governor Wallace as “a man who was different than the man most saw
on TV and heard on the radio.” He said his routine interactions with Governor Wallace were pleasant. As far as his time while working for the State, he didn’t recall any outward racism directed at him. Brother Washington recounts his job requiring him to travel all over the country and often traveled outside the country. He recounts one of his most memorable trips was back in the 1980s when he and his Silhouette had the opportunity to visit San Francisco, California, the Hawaiian Islands, France, and England during a two-week excursion.
““I think I now deserve to be totally retired”
Before he retired from State government in 1997, Washington served 28 years in various state government capacities to include: Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) as its Program Director, Administrative Assistant for Block Grants, and finally as the State Community Services Officer. Brother Washington came out of his retirement and was appointed by Governor Don Siegleman to the Governor’s Task Force on the Development of Economically Distressed Counties. He also served as Tuskegee City Councilman and the Council President from 1996- 2000. Brother Washington is most proud of the improvements made to the streets in Tuskegee that occurred while he served on the Council. He also ran for Mayor of Tuskegee in 2000, losing his bid for that office.
33 November 2021| T H E K H R O N I C L E
C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference
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