Final answer:
White settlers opposed mission education focused on industrial and manual training due to fears of an educated African population capable of challenging colonial control and the socioeconomic status quo.
Step-by-step explanation:
Opposition to mission education and its focus on industrial and manual education came from various quarters, each having its own reasons. White settlers generally opposed such education because it could lead to a population of educated African peoples, challenging their socioeconomic control. Settlers feared that education may empower African communities to rebel against their colonial owners and that their workers might not be as readily available for exploitation if they were educated and sought other opportunities.
In the context of the United States, African American education underwent significant changes in the post-Civil War era. Institutions like Tuskegee, founded by Booker T. Washington, promulgated industrial education to provide African Americans with skills for economic self-sufficiency within a segregated society.
Education was a coveted asset in African American communities, as evidenced by Freedpeople placing high importance on education for their children and themselves. This strong desire to learn formed part of the resistance to the oppression faced during and after slavery. The ability to educate themselves and obtain skills was a form of empowerment and a path to eventual citizenship.