Up From Slavery

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), who overcame adversity to become a prominent orator and educator, believed that education was the key to racial equality. Beginning with his early life, this classic work conveys the triumphs and tragedies he encountered during his pursuit of freedom and learning. From a childhood shaped by slavery to the experiences that led to his founding of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, a center of learning that focused on agricultural and industrial training, Washington’s story is one of empowerment. In advocating vocational education as a means of success, Washington is remembered for his Atlanta Exposition address of 1895, when he emphasized to African Americans the importance of intelligence in garnering respect from peers. He received an honorary master’s degree from Harvard University and an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth College. Pres. Theodore Roosevelt honored his accomplishments in 1901 by inviting him to dine at the White House, making him the first African American guest of a president. This revolutionary autobiography remains an influential read in American culture. Originally published in 1901, the book features a new foreword from Mychal Massie, a syndicated columnist for WorldNetDaily.com and the chairman of Project 21, the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives.