Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $9.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Up From Slavery An Autobiography
    Up From Slavery An Autobiography
    Up From Slavery An Autobiography
    Audiobook7 hours

    Up From Slavery An Autobiography

    Written by Booker T. Washington

    Narrated by Geoffrey Giuliano and The Ark

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Up from Slavery is the 1901 autobiography of Booker T. Washington sharing his personal experience of having to work to rise up from the position of a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an education at the new Hampton Institute, to his work establishing the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama to help black people learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. He reflects on the generosity of both teachers and philanthropists who helped in educating blacks and Native Americans. He describes his efforts to instill manners, breeding, health and a feeling of dignity to students. Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American community and of the contemporary black elite. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherIcon Audio Arts
    Release dateFeb 16, 2023
    ISBN9798887677620
    Author

    Booker T. Washington

    Born into slavery, Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) went on to become an American educator, author, and adviser to the presidents of the United States. As a self-educated man, Washington believed in accessible education for the post-slavery black community. In 1881, Washington became the first leader of the Tuskegee Institute, an all-black school. In 1895, due to lynching plaguing the South, Washington gave his infamous “Atlanta Compromise” speech, which brought him national recognition. Washington became a seminal leader in the field of Black politics, working with communities to build schools and churches despite the criticism he faced for his involvement with prominent white leaders. His prolific writing career includes fourteen books, most notably Up from Slavery and The Future of the American Negro.

    More audiobooks from Booker T. Washington

    Related to Up From Slavery An Autobiography

    Related audiobooks

    Biography & Memoir For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Macolm Vs Martin

      Oct 8, 2020

      Macolm Vs Martin
      11 min read

    • Article

      Introducing Cori Bush

      Feb 15, 2021

      Insurgent candidate Cori Bush became the first black woman ever to be elected from the State of Missouri to the US House of Representatives. The 44-year-old Black Lives Matter activist won the State’s Democratic First Congressional District in the No

      2 min read

    • Article

      Just About Us: We Build Our Own Future One Relationship At A Time

      Oct 15, 2020

      Vermont inclusive communities reimagining the relationship July 2020 African Americans to the Great Outdoors George Floyd was brutally killed by the police in Minneapolis on May 25th 2020. Earlier that same day, an incident took place in New Yo

      6 min read

    • Article

      Tell Me A Story

      Jan 1, 2024

      From time immemorial, storytelling has been an essential part of what makes us human. We think in stories. We daydream in stories. In truth, we spend much of our daily lives weaving narratives to capture and share our experience with others. And we h

      3 min read

    • Article

      A Sense Of Place

      Mar 14, 2018

      A Sense Of Place
      6 min read

    • Article

      Talk to the Practitioner: Kathleen Alcalá

      Feb 25, 2023

      In the summer of 2010, I learned about Sephardic Jews and Crypto-Jews all at the same time. In my previous 35 years, I’d never even considered anything other than the European Jew, and the only Jews of color I knew were adoptees who’d been adopted in

      6 min read

    • Article

      Talk to the Practitioner: Kathleen Alcalá

      Feb 25, 2023

      In the summer of 2010, I learned about Sephardic Jews and Crypto-Jews all at the same time. In my previous 35 years, I’d never even considered anything other than the European Jew, and the only Jews of color I knew were adoptees who’d been adopted in

      6 min read

    • Article

      Beyond the BINARY

      Feb 21, 2020

      Beyond the BINARY
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Dangerous Quest for Identity

      Jan 21, 2023

      The Dangerous Quest for Identity
      5 min read

    • Article

      To Face Our Past

      Aug 21, 2018

      To Face Our Past
      5 min read

    • Article

      Henry Louis Gates Jr.

      Nov 13, 2017

      The scholar is busy with a new book, 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro, a forthcoming anthology and the fourth season of Finding Your Roots

      2 min read

    • Article

      Present-Day Thoughts On The Quality Of Life (1969)

      Mar 4, 2019

      THE ESSAY THAT FOLLOWS WAS originally delivered as a lecture in 1969, but the two of us learned of its existence only in 2002. We were visiting our grandfather and his wife, Marguerite, at their home in San Antonio, Texas. After dinner, our grandfath

      7 min read

    • Article

      50 Years Gone.

      Jun 28, 2019

      50 Years Gone.
      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Up From Slavery An Autobiography

    4/5

    351 ratings19 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      As a historical document, this is an impressive achievement with Washington's regular integration of statistics, news reviews, and speeches, along with his multiple brushes with historical figures such as U.S. Presidents. At the same time, whether a reader is familiar with the questions of the book's history or not, his voice doesn't come across as all-together candid. It feels formed, tailored to the subject and intent instead of the truth. I can't say that I blame the author considering his need to raise funds for projects at Tuskegee, but at the same time, it takes a great deal out of the pleasure I normally find in reading an autobiography. The language is undoubtedly graceful and telling of interesting subjects, but some of the flavor and anecdote I'd normally expect of autobiography just wasn't there. I recommend the autobiography to anyone interested in the raising of institutions, Tuskegee or others, or those interested in Washington himself, but I wouldn't recommend this probably to someone who is just generally an avid reader of autobiography. In the end, I just wanted more--more honesty, more fault, more specifics. It felt as if this was, simply, too perfectly formed and executed toward Washington's purpose of the time, so dating the text on some level.
    • 4/5
      Articulate, and an incredible story.

      Washington tells of how he worked to become the principal of the Tuskegee Institute for African American people. By sheer force of will and determination, this man managed (not without help) to erect a school especially for black people, in the South, in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

      I love how Washington writes, he's so melodic. I can sense his relief, his sadness, his gratefulness. I loved hearing about him as a teacher because I'm trained as an elementary teacher so I really do feel the love for his students through him.

      Parts of the book were dry because he spoke of donor after donor of people who donated to the school. Which is fine, but it felt almost like a list he had to read off, at times. At others, I felt a genuine note come through in the text.

      He is the American dream incarnate, and he embodies that so much, and I don't know how to feel about that. Of course he succeeded and is using his privilege to lift up others. And it's not as if he hasn't directly faced (and overcome) the obstacles put in front of him by systems not designed for him, but to keep him out.

      He was very mild in his descriptions of the South and rarely referred to any personal slights a racist person might've had against him, only ever referring to the plights of his race as a whole. Which, again, is fine, but it did feel a little as though someone had edited it to be directed towards a milder audience.

      Either that, or Washington is excellent at forgiveness. I suspect it's both.

      The part where he went on holiday for the first time in his 18 years of tireless work nearly made me cry. A book that will stay with me for a long time, and hopefully I will include it in a video to come.
    • 5/5
      Not so much an autobiography as it is a personal journal of his life work as founder and Principal of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. His struggle to find funding in the early days is fascinating reading, especially when it begins to develop into a secondary career as a much-sought-after international public speaker. It is only a lack of detail re. his personal life aside from vocation that keeps me from rating this work five stars.
    • 3/5
      Obviously written for a specific audience, wealthy, altruistic white people who would help fund Tuskeegee. A great man, a a great idea in its historic time. Should be read along with his contemporaries who presented a more explicit view of slavery in the colonies and later the US, economically founded by that institution.
    • 5/5
      Not only is it a very insightful look at our country's history from a first hand experience, but such a power tool for personal development that I would label this book as a must read for everyone. Adults and kids alike can learn from Washington's reminisces. He shows us how anyone can start at the very bottom and grow into developing themselves into a more cultured, caring and productive member of society. I was deeply impressed by how he noted that the more fortunate members of a society may be severely lacking in will power and determination, and how those factors are much more relevant to one's success than education and wealth. In essence, he is suggesting that we can obtain the latter by having proper personal attributes, but that no matter of wealth and education can ever help a person if he cannot help himself.
    • 3/5
      An autobiography of the once popular Washington. Today, he has lost favor. He is judged by today's standards, but during his life, he had little alternative than to promote the black American in the manner he did. He established schools to educate former slaves and to place the graduates in occupations without any resort to violence. A Great American.
    • 4/5
      Incredibly inspiring. I'm so glad that I was able to read this! I probably wouldn't have bothered to pick it up, if it wasn't for my college level American History class. It's a shame this isn't mandatory reading!
    • 5/5
      Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856. He lived as a slave until the end of the civil war in 1865, when his family was freed. He was determined to learn how to read and managed to obtain an education at the Hampton Institute, Virginia. A strong advocate of the importance of education for the black race. Apparently there were tensions between this approach and the more confrontational tone of many others in the black political community, but this is not something that is mentioned specifically in the book. Washington stressed the importance of learning a trade to become an integrated and valued member of society, and worked as an educator for most of his life, heading the Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, from 1881 until his death in 1915.
    • 4/5
      This book caught my eye because the high school I went to was named for Mr Washington, I'm so glad it did. I loved the chance to learn more about the man and to get a glimpse inside his character. It's a book I know I will wander through again and again.
    • 5/5
      Very interesting and well-written. Booker T. Washington quickly became one of my favorite historical figures as I read this autobiography, and he certainly has my respect. I would've liked to meet him.

      But this book has made me curious about several things, rather than informing me about them. It seems that Mr. Washington had three wives -- but he never really says much about what happened to any of them. He seems to talk a lot about lots of things, and yet, I don't feel quite as if I know much about him. I guess I'll have to do some more research.
    • 4/5
      Things that impressed me from this book:
      * Booker's firm belief that merit would be recognized and rewarded. He considered this a great universal truth and a consolation for the persecuted. He considered this principle a key to improving racial relations.
      *To expand on the above thought, he thought the whole future of race relations hinged on whether or not the members of his race could make themselves of indispensable value to their community
      *Again, "the individual who do something that the world wants done will, in the end, make his way regardless of race"
      *He thought contact with great men and women of wisdom to be more useful than book learning
      *His thoughts on public speaking: "give them an idea for every word"--in other words, don't waste words. It is in injustice to speak merely for the sake of speaking, one should have a deep heartfelt message to deliver.
      *"I have found that the happiest people are those who do the most for others; the most miserable are those who do the least"
      * He believed in teaching students the dignity of labour, and he had little patience for schools that did not teach this. Indeed, many of the buildings, crops, and things needed by his school were supplied by student labour.
      *I love his thoughts on how to best administer and organization and hove good relations between employers/administrators and labour/students: He asked the students to write him a letter or have a meeting with him with their criticisms, complaints and suggestions. He thought many disputes could be avoided if the higher ups would cultivate a habit of getting nearer to their employees, consulting and advising with them, and letting them feel that they have shared interests.
    • 4/5
      An autobiography of a man who began his life in slavery and ended it as one of the most respected men in our nation. I wish his ideas on education were taken more to heart. He believed in educating the whole man/woman, not just their mind. He felt it was important that the student work at a craft or skill along with their studies, so that when they were finished, they would always have the ability to earn their living and contribute to their community, not just intelligence, but honest and needed labor. The thought being that since they had been forced for generations to give their labor to benefit others, labor in itself became evil to them. Washington wanted the students to see that labor was good and honorable, and education to go with it meant true freedom from bondage. It seems a good plan for all high school students to me.

      Mr. Washington was a great optimist, and believed the best of people, in some ways this book made me sad to think how far short of his ideals we have all come. But in other ways, we've come a long way, baby. Although some of his thinking seems outdated, and impractical and even wrong to us now, it is good to read it. He wrote this having lived through the worst of times, and was trying to work out how to make life better for his race and race relations better. We haven't solved that one yet, but always we forge on.

      For the educational theories alone, this book was a worthy and important read to me, but the history, the story and the man made it fascinating from start to finish.
    • 3/5
      The Preface, by William Andrews, a scholar of African-American literature, called the 1901 autobiography Up From Slavery "one of the few African-American texts that can be legitimately termed a classic" and its subject, Booker T. Washington, "one of the most controversial figures in African-American history." Some months ago I read the landmark 1952 novel of African-American literature by Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man. One of the characters, Bledsoe, is famously based upon Booker T. Washington, and the portrayal is scathing enough to strip paint. Washington has a reputation among some as an "Uncle Tom" and his vision famously conflicted with that of W.E.B. Du Bois. The Preface notes that Du Bois' critique "Of Booker T. Washington and Others" in the 1903 The Souls of Black Folk. signaled the beginning of the split on Washington within the African-American community and says that in Up From Slavery Washington wore a "minstrel mask."

      I can understand why some respond negatively to the man. At one point, Washington claimed that "the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man." In context though, it's clear he means rather Southern whites were also damaged by the institution--that slavery eroded the work ethic in the South, so that manual labor became something slaves did and was looked upon with derision. Washington also claimed at one point that the very experience of slavery had left American blacks stronger "materially, intellectually, morally and religiously" than their African brethren. He seemed to be protesting too much in constantly insisting on the good relations between black and white Southerners. (At one point claiming the Ku Klux Klan was extinct. Admittedly, I once watched a documentary that noted the organization was in fact greatly diminished after Reconstruction--they'd have a resurgence a decade or so later after the book's publication.) And the praise of his Northern white benefactors seemed a bit...fulsome--and shameless name-dropping. (Of course, probably hits me that way partly because it was the style of the times--this is the Victorian Era after all.) But over the course of the book, that did wear at me.

      Of course, I do understand Washington was trying to influence a white audience in a time of eroding civil rights (thus the supposed "minstrel mask"). And never, ever did I get the impression either that Washington thought blacks weren't the equal of whites morally, socially or intellectually or that they should not be legally. It's clear Washington thought both slavery and segregation deeply immoral--even if at times I can understand why Du Bois said Washington pursued "an accommodationist strategy." In his famous Atlanta Exposition Address--which Du Bois called the "Atlanta Compromise," Washington, to the applause of white Southerners, said "in all things that are purely social we can be as separate as the fingers yet one as the hand in all things essential to mutual progress." It's hard to disagree with Du Bois who saw Washington as ceding too much in rejecting political power and not insisting on equal civil rights--and irked at his sometimes anti-intellectualism in his insistence of an "industrial" (think vocational) education over a liberal arts higher education.

      That's not to say that I don't think there isn't some value in what Washington has to say and what he accomplished. Du Bois wanted to depend on the training up the "talented tenth" into an intellectual elite and saw political power as key to gaining equal civil rights. Washington argued for economic power through self-reliance, a strong work ethic, and practical vocational education. This isn't just a black issue. I can see echoes of this argument today in contemporary debates on poverty and education. And I can understand why after witnessing the transient and seemingly futile period of black office-holding after Reconstruction, Washington might feel the political route was premature and unreliable as a way of progress. And with the Tuskegee Institute situated right in Alabama, Washington was right in the belly of the beast--in the heart of the once slave-holding Confederacy. He may have felt in conceding on civil rights (if concede he did) he wasn't giving up anything within his reach.

      Beyond the political issues, this is at times a fascinating piece of history, particularly in the first 50 pages or so of the 146-page book dealing with the young Washington and his memories of slavery and the Reconstruction Era and his efforts to gain an education. The first paragraph reminded me of the opening of Frederick Douglas' slave narrative. Like Douglas, Washington didn't know his own date of birth. Douglas explained that was something slave owners deliberately tried to deny slaves. Also like Douglas, Washington heard rumors his father was white but didn't know him personally. Washington's lifetime took him from slavery to the Civil War through Reconstruction to Jim Crow. It's more later on, when he started to relate the building of the Tuskegee Institute that something about Washington's style started to grate on me, and much of the account began to be tedious. (Goodness, you wouldn't believe Washington's ode to the toothbrush!) Which is a shame, because as William Andrews noted, this is the story of "a former slave who became the most powerful African-American of this era." He started Tuskegee Institute from a "shanty" and a "hen house" and from it built a great American educational institution. But something felt lacking, absent. Maybe Washington himself. There seemed little introspection or humor or even anything really personal at all in his voice. I get why Andrews feels Washington wore a mask, and it takes close reading and outside information to get it to slip a bit to see the complex man underneath. That's where I did find this Norton Critical Edition, which included essays on Washington, including the famous critique by Du Bois, invaluable. It makes rating this book difficult. I do feel this is worth reading as a piece of history--but as a biography it left me feeling decidedly ambivalent.
    • 4/5
      Washington chronicles his life from experiencing emancipation when he was young, to struggling to learn as much as he could while enduring a difficult life of child labor, to not only finding a school in which he became educated but also teaching there and then building his own school literally from the ground up.
      An important book still, all these years later. I'm very glad I finally got round to reading it.
    • 5/5
      Up From Slavery, Booker T. Washington, author; Jonathan Reese, narrator
      I have read a mix of fiction and non-fiction offerings from Ibram Kendi, James Baldwin, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Angie Thomas, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jacqueline Woodson, Walter Mosley, Colson Whitehead, Isabel Wilkerson, and more; add Robin DiAngelo to the mix as well, though she is an outlier and a white author, and I have been presented with the opinions and philosophies of what I hope is a broad and more diverse group of ideas that will help me to better understand the situation in society today which has often grown violent with controversial demands that sometimes seem beyond reason. Racial conflist is growing rather than declining as it had been. The way in which ideas have been recently interpreted and events conducted, by a diverse group of people, seemingly seeking what they believe is justice, has been very controversial and unsettling forthe rest of society. If thery do not get what they demand, they view the decisions as unjust and often follow up the refusal with violent demonstrations that are destructive and unacceptable by most of society's standards. This is divisive and does not inspire unity, but rather separate "safe spaces".
      Although the book is sometimes repetitive, the absolute brilliance of this man, from a background of slavery, shines through. He was invited to visit with Queen Victoria. He was able to rub elbows with the rich and famous, even Presidents Cleveland and McKinley, as well as Senators, and other dignitaries, and to travel the world and gain acceptance, and also the respect from others, that most of us would never dream of experiencing. He was a gentleman, but he often believed he had to know his place in society, and so did others of his race, in order to compete. This was to grow into a controversial theme, later in his life, as those that became educated had different approaches to the advancement of "colored" people, as they are called in the book. Yet he was the father of a monumental program to educate the members of his race, just so they could advance in society, after finally being freed from the yolk of slavery. However, today, the idea that others are now promoting so vehemently, is perhaps not stressing education and indusriousness enough, as part of the equation. Knowing one's place is a faulty theory that was alive and well in the south not too many decades ago. I once remarked about how well everyone seemed to get along in a place of such disharmony during the Civil War, and I was told that "they know their place! This horrified me, as a naive Northerner, and led me to understand that the South had not truly come very far, regardless of outside appearnances.
      However, getting back to Washington, he had the respect of both the black and white community, but, he also created great controversy. While he believed in peacefully working to advance his race from the bottom up, W. E. B. Du Bois had another opinion. He believed the advancement would take place from the top down. Both men had the ideal of improving the lot of their race; both men had noble intentions. Bottom up or top down, moving forward should be the ultimate goal, rather than promoting hostility by fostering their opposing views, instead of combining them. Currently, we seem to be promoting dissent rather than compromise, separation rather than unification, violence rather than peace, and we are not encouraging education nor are we integrating all people into our society, but are redividing ourselves into competing groups of protesters.
      What I admired most about Washington’s philosophy was his desire to earn the right to succeed through hard work, a goal that was once the desire of all benighted people. The type of work is what is in question when it comes to the philosophies of many who wish to rise up. Washington believed in trades as the bedrock of improvement, the cornerstone of advancement. I believe his ideas would have benefited if they were combined with the ideas of Du Bois, for once educated, one should then be encouraged to move on into far higher ambitious professions. To remain in the trades would keep them in the bottom of society, to use the trades, as most groups do, as a stepping stone, would be far more advantageous. His ideas seemed to be more of a foundation and the ideas of Du Bois was the firm foundation on which to build. In addition to Washington’s beliefs about industry, he also included faith-based ideas, ethics, cleanliness, and truly hard work leaving no time for chicanery or failure. He seemed to believe in self-worth, responsibility, honesty and gratitude as important parts of life. He believed that in earning one’s place in society, one attained success.
      It is largely a universal belief of many groups of people that as the underdog, they had to be better than others, had to work harder, needed to do something that no one else could best, in order to shine and gain recognition. Being outstanding was believed to be the key to improvement of one’s lot in life. This seemed to be Washington’s basic belief, and he never gave up on it. He never seemed resentful or angry, and was always measured in his behavior and his requests for help. He tempered his requests with his idea that his students must be industrious and must help themselves. In many ways it does sound like the voice of reason. Perhap,though, he was too harsh, at times, but his was a fledgling idea, one that needed to develop, one that was an inspiration to others, and its initial design was perhaps necessary at that time. Demands that were less stringent might not have succeeded as well as his did. His "child", Tuskegee Institute, continued to grow and influence black society for decades.
      However, I disagree with his belief that his race should be thankful to slavery for giving them the opportunity to learn how to subsist, to make their way in the world, even sending some people back to Africa to enlighten them so they too, might improve their lot in life. I believe that there is simply no place for slavery in the world, and therefore, the gains made for the black race in terms of survival skills are overshadowed by the abuse they were forced to suffer to learn them. As a person of Jewish descent, a people subjected to abuse for thousands of years, I cannot abide by the notion that any abusive behavior is worthwhile regardless of the interpretation of the ultimate results. Should Jews be grateful that they learned how to defend themselves out of necessity? Washington's peaceful method of solving the race problem is far more acceptable to me, however, than the approach that has grown up today, of rioting and looting, sometimes with violent protest marches. Society has made great strides, and although there is more improvement necessary, the way forward would be better served by the attitude of a measured man who allows conversation and discussion, absent the hostility surrounding all racial issues today. This dysfunction in society is being promoted by the media and some outspoken groups motivated by revenge and recompense. Instead of uniting as Washington had hoped, we are dividing and separating like the yolks from the albumin in eggs. It would be far better to combine the ingredients well.
      Booker T. Washington never gave up. He always believed in his own self-worth and wished to advance through his own hard work. He wanted to be a credit to himself, his family and his community, including the wider world around him. He had that same goal for others. He understood that it wasn’t the name he had been given that made him a man, but his character and behavior that did that. He knew that education was the key to advancement. Believing in the best in people often brought out the best in people. He demanded excellence, made no excuses for less than that, and so he achieved excellence from his students. The Tuskegee Institute paved the way for black people, or “colored” people as he refers to them, to rise up from slavery to become important contributors to any country in which they lived. How people behave is a choice and Washington demanded that they chose wisely to improve themselves in all ways. To me his approach is best described in the reference he makes to the statement, “Cast down your bucket where you are”.
    • 5/5
      Rating this a 5 based on historical importance.

      This is not so much an autobiography of Booker T. Washington, a great man indeed, but of his life's work - the founding of what is now Tuskegee University.

      After reading this book I understand why it's controversial, but it's always important to take things in context - why it was written, who it was written for, the experiences of the person writing, and the time in which it was written. Although I will admit that I was occasionally taken aback by a few things Washington writes.

      Overall, I enjoyed this book, learned much, and it inspired me to want to know more.

      Recommended.
    • 5/5
      Booker T. Washington published this, his second, autobiography, in 1901 at age 45. It is a fascinating account of his childhood slavery, emancipation, education, and rise to prominence as a college educator and highly acclaimed African American leader.

      This is one book I had a hard time putting down. It reveals a man deeply committed to helping African Americans in post-Reconstruction America earn respect based on their skillful work and valuable contributions to society. A quote from the book seems to summarize Washington’s personal philosophy: “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” He believed that striving for excellence and working cooperatively with all people, regardless of ethnicity or station, was the key to the black man winning his rightful place in the world.

      It is recommended reading for those wishing to broaden their understanding of and appreciation for African American history, post-Civil War race relations, or the history of higher education in America. The Penguin Classics edition has an index, endnotes (18 in all), and an interesting introduction by historian and Washington biographer Louis R. Harlan.
    • 4/5
      Booker T. Washington writes his own story of rising from a slave to being honored with a Harvard distinguished honor degree. His autobiography shares the many struggles he endured as he worked to make Tuskegee University a top college for the education of African Americans when there were no schools for them really.

      This is a truly touching story. The beginning of the book was very moving and emotional as he speaks of struggling to get an education as an African American boy. Though dry at time, and almost annoyingly optimistic there were some really nice inspirational quotes in the book that I was able to note (highlight and such). I hope to read again and take down a lot more of his positive work ethic.
    • 4/5
      Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington presents a positive outlook about race relations in America. Washington’s life began as a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia. He described many of the hardships and mind-boggling experiences by his family of a mother and three children. But Washington had good things to say about his slave masters. With the Emancipation Proclamation his family was free and they moved to Malden, West Virginia where they continued to live in a shack. Under debilitating circumstances he found work in the salt and coal mines.
      Washington got an opportunity to improve his circumstances when he applied and started working at the home of a white landowner Mrs. Viola Ruffner. After working with her family for some time conversation he overheard while at the mines about Hampton Institute for blacks percolated in his mind. Prior to this time he had benefited from tutoring given to blacks that enabled him to read and write. So once he had made some money at the Ruffners he was able to leave this family to travel to Hampton, Virginia to seek an education. This trip was a harrowing experience since his funds were low, and it was in winter when he had to sleep under a sidewalk to survive the cold nights.
      Despite these difficulties Washington was able to make it to Hampton Institute where he became a student doing odd jobs as a janitor until he graduated. In the course of these experiences he developed a bond with the principal of Hampton Institute General Samuel C. Armstrong who was to be most influential in his life. On Washington’s return to West Virginia he became a teacher and taught poor blacks of his community. But soon he was called away to take a position at Hampton Institute where he worked as a tutor, until such time he was recommended by General Armstrong to lead a fledgling school at Tuskegee, Alabama. Tuskegee Institute was Washington’s baby which he built from nothing to become a notable school in the South with grants from John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and local charities. The school blended academic work, and trades with industrial preparation.
      While at Tuskegee Washington became a familiar presence on the lecture circuit speaking about Tuskegee Institute and raising money for different projects for the institution. He travelled as much as six months each year in the North and South for this purpose. These missions were covered in the press, and he was hailed as the spokesman for black America after the likes of Frederick Douglass. One of his notable speeches was at the Atlantic Exposition in Georgia. He was the first black recipient of an honorary degree from Harvard University, and was influential in having President and Mrs. McKinley and his cabinet visit Tuskegee Institute.