Since the 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr., has personified black leadership with his use of direct action protests against white authority. A century ago, in the era of Jim Crow, Booker T. Washington pursued a different strategy to lift his people. In this compelling biography, Norrell reveals how conditions in the segregated South led Washington to call for a less contentious path to freedom and equality. He urged black people to acquire economic independence and to develop the moral character that would ultimately gain them full citizenship. Although widely accepted as the most realistic way to integrate blacks into American life during his time, WashingtonÕs strategy has been disparaged since the 1960s. The first full-length biography of Booker T. in a generation, Up from History recreates the broad contexts in which Washington worked: He struggled against white bigots who hated his economic ambitions for blacks, African-American intellectuals like W. E. B. Du Bois who resented his huge influence, and such inconstant allies as Theodore Roosevelt. Norrell details the positive power of WashingtonÕs vision, one that invoked hope and optimism to overcome past exploitation and present discrimination. Indeed, his ideas have since inspired peoples across the Third World that there are many ways to struggle for equality and justice. Up from History reinstates this extraordinary historical figure to the pantheon of black leaders, illuminating not only his mission and achievement but also, poignantly, the man himself.

A publisher's dummy used for subscription sales of Washington's autobiography. Selected pages of the text and 37 illustrated plates are included. The front and back cover represent two of the three available bindings for the edition; the spine for the third option is pasted to the inside back cover.

Inspired by the centenary of the publication of Washington's autobiography, Up From Slavery, this collection of essays reinterprets Washington's career and self-presentation. As the most visible and widely acclaimed black leader of his era, Washington played a pivotal role in advocating a strategy for the racial uplift of African Americans in an age of intensifying racism and discrimination. This collection insists that in order to understand the era of Jim Crow, we must come to terms with Washington and his autobiography. It uses Washington, his autobiography, and his program to consider the meanings of Up From Slavery, the plight of African Americans, and possible responses by blacks in the United States and elsewhere to the highest stage of white supremacy. Collectively and individually, these essays shed light on aspects of Washington and his life that have been poorly understood. Neither a critique nor an apologia, Booker T. Washington and Black Progress offers fresh perspectives by leading scholars on one of the most remarkable and influential figures in turn-of-the-century America, providing a new appreciation of both the man and his times.

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Black educator documents his struggle for freedom and self-respect and his fight to establish industrial training programs.

For those interested in the history of slavery and the American Civil War, 'Up from Slavery' is the autobiography from American eudcator Booker T. Washington in which he describes his experiences of living as an enslaved child during the Civil War. Washington overcame many obstacles to get an education and throughout his autobiography, he gratefully reflects on the help of his teachers and philanthropists who helped educate Black and Native Americans. The autobiography was a best seller; much to do with its honest and historically significant depiction of the struggles that Washington faced. If you are eager to know more about the history of slavery, Sojourner Truth's 'Narrative of Sojourner Truth' will provide great insight into being a slave in the North. Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in Virginia in 1856. He is regarded as one of the foremost African American leaders of the late 19th century, and founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in 1881. He became a teacher after the Civil War, and was also a political adviser and writer. Washington's mother, Jane, worked as a cook for a plantation owner and his father was an unknown white man, most likely from a nearby plantation. From a young age, Washington worked carrying sacks of grain to the plantations mill. Despite the sacks weighing around 100-pounds and being too heavy for a young boy, he was often beaten for not working to a high enough standard. After the Civil War, Washington and his mother moved to West Virginia, where she married a freedman. The family was very poor, and nine-year-old Washington went to work in the nearby salt furnaces instead of going to school. He then worked as a houseboy for the wife of a local coal mine owner. She recognised his desire for education and allowed him to go to school for an hour a day during the winter months. He died in November, 1915, at the age of 59, of congestive heart failure.

An illuminating historical biography for students and scholars alike, this book gives readers insight into the life and times of Booker T. Washington. Booker T. Washington was an integral figure in mid-19th to early-20th century America who successfully transitioned from a life in slavery and poverty to a position among the Black elite. This book highlights Washington's often overlooked contributions to the African and African American experience, particularly his support of higher education for Black students through fundraising for Fisk and Howard universities, where he served as a trustee. A vocal advocate of vocational and liberal arts alike, Washington eventually founded his own school, the Tuskegee Institute, with a well-rounded curriculum to expand opportunities and encourage free thinking for Black students. While Washington was sometimes viewed as a "great accommodator" by his critics for working alongside wealthy, white elites, he quietly advocated for Black teachers and students as well as for desegregation. This book will offer readers a clearly written, fully realized overview of Booker T. Washington and his legacy.

Reproduction of the original.