Final answer:
Benjamin Banneker attributed his success to his determination, self-education, and seizing opportunities. Similarly, Booker T. Washington credited his success to education, determination, and forging influential relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
To what does Banneker attribute his success in life? Various historical figures attribute their success to different factors.
Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught African American scientist, surveyor, almanac author, and farmer, largely attributed his success to his determination, self-education, and willingness to seize opportunities.
This is akin to the experiences of other significant African American individuals, like the successes seen in the fields of education and industry by figures such as Booker T. Washington and those combating the societal limitations placed on them by leveraging every opportunity for growth and learning.
Booker T. Washington, for instance, credits his success to his strategy of fostering relationships and securing funding from Alabama's all-white state legislature, which enabled him to transform a one-room school into Tuskegee Institute.
Washington's leadership and hard work, along with his pursuit of practical skills and literacy for African Americans, were foundational to the prosperity of both him and the institute.
He emphasized the significance of education, determination, and leveraging support from influential figures of the time, eventually earning the moniker "the Moses of his race" due to his efforts.
Another historical account comes from an anonymous individual who overcame the limitations of slavery by learning to read through kindness and exchange with local white boys, demonstrating resourcefulness and the ability to manipulate dire circumstances to eke out an education.
This mirrors the words of another person who, despite being poor, Black, and Appalachian, saw beyond deterrents to the importance of education, stressing the role of insight and the aspiration for achievement as key elements of success.