# General Samuel C. Armstrong — Up from Slavery character guide

> General Samuel C. Armstrong in Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** General S. C. Armstrong, General Armstrong, General, Samuel Armstrong, young Armstrong, the late General Samuel C. Armstrong, the General

**First appearance:** 0006-iii-the-struggle-for-an-education

## Snapshot

The Union general turned educator who founded Hampton Institute, took in a ragged young Washington, and modeled a discipline of love over bitterness.

## Who they are

Armstrong is Washington's commanding mentor and the moral spine of the Hampton system, a white man who fought the South yet refused to hate it. Washington watches him visit Tuskegee and court Southern whites with genuine warmth, and draws from him the lesson that great men cultivate love while only little men cherish hatred. His example shapes Washington's entire public philosophy, making him the quiet author of the book's ethic of forgiveness and practical service.

## Relationships

### [George Washington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/george_washington)

_professional_

General Armstrong was the founder and principal of Hampton Institute, where George Washington was a student and later a teacher.

### [Booker T. Washington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/booker_t_washington)

_professional_

Booker T. Washington was a protégé of General Armstrong, who mentored him and later recommended him to lead Tuskegee Institute.

### [Mrs. Viola Ruffner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/mrs_viola_ruffner)

_professional_

Mrs. Ruffner was a teacher at Hampton Institute and worked closely with General Armstrong in educating formerly enslaved people.

### [Dr. Mark Hopkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/dr_mark_hopkins)

_professional_

Dr. Mark Hopkins was a prominent educator and president of Williams College, who corresponded with General Armstrong about educational philosophy.

### [Dr. Hollis B. Frissell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/dr_hollis_b_frissell)

_professional_

Dr. Frissell succeeded General Armstrong as principal of Hampton Institute and continued his educational mission.

### [Mr. George W. Campbell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/mr_george_w_campbell)

_professional_

Mr. Campbell was a trustee and supporter of Hampton Institute who worked alongside General Armstrong.

### [President William McKinley](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/president_william_mckinley)

_professional_

General Armstrong interacted with President McKinley to secure federal support for industrial education.

### [Uncle Jake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/uncle_jake)

_social_

Uncle Jake was a formerly enslaved man who worked at Hampton Institute and had a friendly, respectful relationship with General Armstrong.

## In the story

### [Up from Slavery](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/up-from-slavery)

Founder of Hampton Institute and mentor to Washington.

### [The Struggle for an Education](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/iii-the-struggle-for-an-education)

Principal of Hampton Institute; inspects students' cleanliness and inspires Washington.

### [V: The Reconstruction Period](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/v-the-reconstruction-period)

Founder of Hampton Institute, whose industrial education philosophy is contrasted with other schools.

### [VI: Black Race and Red Race](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/vi-black-race-and-red-race)

Founder of Hampton Institute; conceived the night-school and invited Washington to return for the postgraduate address.

### [VII: Early Days at Tuskegee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/vii-early-days-at-tuskegee)

Recommended Washington for the Tuskegee position and sent a telegram confirming the offer.

### [Anxious Days and Sleepless Nights](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/ix-anxious-days-and-sleepless-nights)

Provides his personal check for all his savings to help Tuskegee during a time of great financial distress.

### [Making Their Beds Before They Could Lie on Them](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/xi-making-their-beds-before-they-could-lie-on-them)

His educational ideas are cited as influential in the South, and his phrase 'the gospel of the toothbrush' is referenced.

### [Two Thousand Miles for a Five-Minute Speech](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/xiii-two-thousand-miles-for-a-five-minute-speech)

Referenced as the founder of Hampton Institute, whose principles influenced Washington's educational philosophy.

### [Last Words](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/xvii-last-words)

Referenced as the founder of Hampton Institute, which inspired Tuskegee.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/chapters/endnotes)

Mentioned as the subject of intimate friendship with Robert C. Ogden during his educational work.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters/general_samuel_c_armstrong
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/up_from_slavery_se/characters