Up from Slavery

Jul 28, 2008 Skylar Burris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's interesting that with all the emphasis on "multiculturalism" when I was going through school, we never actually read any first source books like "Up From Slavery." However, I can see why some modern educators might want to avoid assigning this book: it does violence to a certain brand of philosophy because of its profound anti-victimization message and its focus on individual responsibility, the power of merit to supplant racism, and the necessity of climbing gradually rather than expecting It's interesting that with all the emphasis on "multiculturalism" when I was going through school, we never actually read any first source books like "Up From Slavery." However, I can see why some modern educators might want to avoid assigning this book: it does violence to a certain brand of philosophy because of its profound anti-victimization message and its focus on individual responsibility, the power of merit to supplant racism, and the necessity of climbing gradually rather than expecting to be catapulted instantaneously into an equality of outcome. Booker T. Washington doesn't sound like a proponent of affirmative action when he says, "The wisest among my race understand that agitations of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing."

Nor did Washington seem to have much tolerance for those who claimed they could not succeed because of their disadvantages. He sums up his attitude and his life success in one line: "I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed." Washington was a great believer in the power of merit and repeatedly says that "merit, no matter under what skin it found is, in the long run, recognized and rewarded."

In "Up From Slavery," Washington insists that no amount of political agitation will elevate any race permanently if it does not first secure a foundation in "property, industry, skill, economy, intelligence, and character." As early as the Reconstruction, Washington was bemoaning that in D.C. "among a large class there seemed to be a dependence upon the Government for every conceivable thing…I…have often wished…I might remove…these people…and plant them upon the soil…where all nations and races that have ever succeeded have gotten their start, a start that at first may be slow and toilsome, but one that is nevertheless real." This attitude may explain why Washington saw fit to require labor of his Tuskegee students. Talking about prejudice does little to overcome prejudice, but, he says, the "actual sight of a fist-class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build." Thus Tuskegee students, no matter what their financial position, were required to do things such as building their dormitories with their own hands and growing their own food.

Some have been critical of Washington's belief that liberal education must be combined with vocational education, but he did not want his students to grow too proud to use their hands, and he desired to teach them the beauty and dignity of labor. He also acknowledged that the mass of people cannot all make their livings as doctors and lawyers and intellectuals. "No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem." So students learned not only liberal arts, but skills such as brick making and farming. "The individual who can do something that the world wants done," said Washington, "will, in the end, make his way regardless of his race."

Washington's account of his life, from his childhood in slavery (covered only briefly) through his education to his rise in prominence as an educator, shows an amazing lack of resentment (and even some degree of pity) for the white men who oppressed his race. Indeed, he considers the white man to, in a sense, have suffered from the institution of slavery also, for it destroyed his merit by taking "the spirit of self-reliance and self-help out of" him. Washington magnanimity is owed, perhaps, to his mentor, from whom he learned "that great men cultivate love, and that only little men cherish a spirit of hatred." This is not to say he never criticizes the white man, but he explains, "I early learned that it is a hard matter to convert an individual by abusing him, and that this is more often accomplished by giving credit for all the praiseworthy actions performed than by calling attention alone to all the evil done." He says that more can be learned from coming into contact with great men and women than from books, and he would likely be appalled by the modern educational tendency to focus on the flaws rather than the virtues of historical leaders.

Washington's philosophy and manner of presenting it has occasionally earned him disapprobation. Du Bois said that in this book, Washington soft-pedaled the horrors of slavery, promoted stereotypes of blacks, and was less than honest about the racism he encountered. Perhaps Washington did not dwell on these issues because he believed "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." At any rate, this is Washignton's story as he himself tells it, with "no attempt at embellishment," and whether or not you agree with his philosophy on life, it is hard not to find the tale inspirational and uplifting.

Washington has often been accused of "pandering" to a white audiences, and I think this may be because of the inability of ordinary people to comprehend the greatness of character that is able to let go so utterly of resentment and bitterness and to understand that we are all in the same boat, and that what I do to keep you down is likely to injure me as well.

The book was not always a gripping read; there is a lot of mundane detail; it isn't a literary masterpiece, and the autobiographer often repeats himself, but Washington is such an admirable figure to me and has so many great moral insights into life, that I often found myself wanting to underline the text. I agree with Washington that we learn most by studying great men and women, and I wish when I was in school we had studied more in-depth the lives of more people like Booker T. Washington. But greatness was not something we were much encouraged to meditate on in our "multicultural" education: prejudice, inequities, class consciousness, war, oppression, human weakness, and, alone on the positive side, occasional minority accomplishments, but not GREATNESS of CHARACTER. It's a shame, because the characters of great men and women do inspire.
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May 16, 2011 David rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This second ghost-written autobiography of Booker T. Washington presents the carefully crafted public persona that he wanted. Beneath the mask of a humble, saintly,acetic and patient Negro is a power-hungry, self-aggrandizing man. Washington played his cards close to the vest and was sure that he never offended white people from the North or the South. He curried favor with captains of industry such as Andrew Carnegie and Roger Baldwin who eventually set him up for life. Nevertheless, Washington ...more

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Jun 28, 2015 Scott Rhee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: black-studies , biography , autobiography , classic-literature , history

While I admired Booker T. Washington’s ability to see the world so optimistically in his autobiography “Up from Slavery”, it would be a lie to say that I was so greatly impressed by Washington’s story that I would recommend its placement on school reading lists. Considering the plethora of fascinating slave narratives out there, being reprinted and regaining popularity thanks to award-winning films like “Django Unchained” and “12 Years a Slave”, Washington’s memoir about his financial and politi ...more

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Dec 24, 2007 Christy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: african-american-lit-and-history , readinglist1 , memoir-and-autobiography , 20th-century-american-lit

On the one hand, this is a really interesting look at the culture of the South during and just after the period of Reconstruction; on the other hand, however, Washington's view of that culture is certainly affected by his wholehearted endorsement of the American Dream, the Horatio Alger myth, and capitalism. While it's important to acknowledge the value of hard work and perseverance and while Washington himself did a great deal of good for African Americans, working for years to develop the Tusk ...more

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Avneesh Kumar Christy, while what you say has merits but I believe that He wrote in this very liberal way, and did not touch some real issues, because at that time ...more
Dec 22, 2014 12:33PM

Kerry My thoughts exactly Kumar
Jun 25, 2015 11:07AM

Feb 04, 2011 Sierra Abrams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography , classics , historical , nonfiction , on-my-shelf , reviewed

Booker T. Washington: once a slave, beat down and told he could do nothing, accomplish nothing; now an example to all men, white and colored, raised above others. Why? Hard work and a desire to do good in this world. He accomplished more than a lot, from getting into a school by sweeping and cleaning a room, to teaching at a night school, to starting Tuskegee, to speaking at huge events at which no black man had ever spoken. He met great men, did great things, built a great community, and loved ...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Shanae rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: black-studies , memoir-autobio-bio , books-about-men , favorites , history , learn-something , male-writers , non-fiction , writing , to-read-again

I think Up From Slavery is one of the most amazing autobiographies ever written. Booker T. Washington's autobiography was essential to creating the New Negro, the Black American who emerged today. I think Up From Slavery is a humorous and motivational work of strength, determination and perseverance.

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Jan 06, 2012 Evelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history , philosophy , 1850-present

Booker T. Washington is officially added to my list of favorite people. His positive and nonjudgmental attitude is exemplary in so many ways. His way of stepping back, seeing a situation for what it really is, unprejudiced by pride or excessive passion, is truly amazing. His insights are so valuable that I think this book should be required reading for everyone.

Washington was born a slave, and was about 8 years old when Emancipation came. Life was little better afterwards, though, for a while. H Booker T. Washington is officially added to my list of favorite people. His positive and nonjudgmental attitude is exemplary in so many ways. His way of stepping back, seeing a situation for what it really is, unprejudiced by pride or excessive passion, is truly amazing. His insights are so valuable that I think this book should be required reading for everyone.

Washington was born a slave, and was about 8 years old when Emancipation came. Life was little better afterwards, though, for a while. He still had to work hard all day, and his living conditions were similar to what they had before. With freedom comes responsibility as well as opportunity. His tireless efforts to get an education are just amazing, along with the people who helped him along they way. He never expected to receive something for nothing, but he worked hard to make sure he merited the very best of opportunities. One of my favorite stories is his college entrance exam. He had traveled to the Hampton Institute (some 500 miles away from his home) on foot mostly, sleeping in the street and eating next to nothing. He showed up looking like a "loafer or tramp", and was not immediately admitted. Washington was determined to "impress [Miss Mary F. Mackie, the head teacher] in all the ways [he] could with [his] worthiness." Finally, Miss Mackie asked him to sweep a recitation room, and Washington knew instantly that here was his chance to prove his merit, his work ethic, and his eagerness to be admitted to the school.

"I swept the recitation-room three times. Than I got a dusting-cloth and I dusted it four times. All the woodwork around the walls, every bench, table, and desk, I went over four times with my dusting cloth. Besides, every piece of furniture had been moved and every closet and corner in the room had been thoroughly cleaned. I had the feeling that in a large measure my future depended upon the impression I made upon the teacher in the cleaning of that room."

His cleaning job so impressed Miss Mackie that he was admitted to the college, and offered a job as the school janitor which he was very happy to accept so that he might earn a little money to help with expenses. Washington says that Miss Mackie "proved to be one of my strongest and most helpful friends".

After college, he taught school in his hometown, he taught at the Hampton Institute, and finally he was asked to start a college in Alabama, which he calls his "life's work". He also became the most famous orator for race relations in the United States at the time. What he accomplished was simply amazing, and his work ethic is inspiring. One certainly feels that a man (or woman) can accomplish great things if they are willing to work hard and put up with the dirt and hardships that come with the job. I'll end with a quote:

"I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements...if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life-- that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living. I pity the man, black or white, who has never experienced the joy and satisfaction that come to one by reason of an effort to assist in making some one else more useful and more happy." ...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Tryn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites , autobiography

No matter how modestly this man tries to tell his story, the facts of his life shine with the luster of greatness. Booker T. Washington spent his early childhood as a slave on a plantation in the south. After the Emancipation Proclamation was read from the porch steps of the “Big House,” Booker’s ambitions to gain an education and make something of himself propelled him through every obstacle to his goal. Booker T. Washington was a tireless promoter of education for his race and of Tuskegee, the No matter how modestly this man tries to tell his story, the facts of his life shine with the luster of greatness. Booker T. Washington spent his early childhood as a slave on a plantation in the south. After the Emancipation Proclamation was read from the porch steps of the “Big House,” Booker’s ambitions to gain an education and make something of himself propelled him through every obstacle to his goal. Booker T. Washington was a tireless promoter of education for his race and of Tuskegee, the school for blacks which he founded in Alabama. He spent his entire adult life in these two causes and made great strides in elevating the sights and prospects of his people.

I had never really considered what it must have taken to raise the mindset of an enslaved people once they had freedom. While the human soul craves liberty, it does not automatically know how to use that liberty to the highest ends. Booker T. Washington’s approach to education of ex-slaves was comprehensive. He wanted to teach them everything about how to live civilized, useful lives of service and industry. Along with book learning, he taught them use a toothbrush, to sleep between the sheets of a bed, to bathe daily, to keep their clothing clean and mended, to love labor and avoid indolence, to learn marketable life-skills such as carpentry and brick-making, to acquire property, to vote sensibly, to worship and pray to God, and to live moral lives.

I found my admiration for Booker T. Washington growing with the turn of every page. He was practical, thrifty, energetic, articulate, earnest, hard-working, selfless, diplomatic, always hopeful and optimistic. He was also a sought-after public speaker with an ability to sway many to his cause and bring an audience into complete accord with him. I wish I could have heard him speak in person, but I’m grateful that I had a chance to hear his voice through this well-told story of his own inspiring life.
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Aug 01, 2011 Alieda rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Booker T Washington was a very admirable figure, but his book is pretty dull. Besides, his silences about major issues, such as racial segregation, forced disenfranchisment, violence against black people (lynchings), and violent racial uprisings in the south at this time, are, I think, loud silences which beg the question of who his audience is intended to be. Rather than as an honest autobiography, I read this book as an overt plea to the upper class whites, for funding for his school. It was m ...more

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Mar 03, 2015 Sheryl Tribble rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It amazes me how many people *still* blow off Booker T. Washington as an "Uncle Tom." There is no doubt in my mind that when Washington said, "I pity from the bottom of my heart any individual who is so unfortunate as to get into the habit of holding race prejudice," he knew full well that the primary goal of a racist is to feel superior to someone, and that therefore his pity would offend them more than anything else he could offer or say.

Or how about this one -- "In my contact with people I fi It amazes me how many people *still* blow off Booker T. Washington as an "Uncle Tom." There is no doubt in my mind that when Washington said, "I pity from the bottom of my heart any individual who is so unfortunate as to get into the habit of holding race prejudice," he knew full well that the primary goal of a racist is to feel superior to someone, and that therefore his pity would offend them more than anything else he could offer or say.

Or how about this one -- "In my contact with people I find that, as a rule, it is only the little narrow people who live for themselves, who never read good books, who do not travel, who never open up their souls in a way to permit them to come into contact with other souls -- with that great outside world. No man whose vision is bounded by color can come into contact with what is highest and best in the world." Time and again, in this book historians generally consider aimed at a white audience, Washington makes the point that people who judge others on the basis of race are sad, pathetic losers that he feels sorry for. This worked because many of his most powerful supporters agreed with him -- but it also worked because Washington was so clearly none of those things. Washington was well read, widely traveled, and had devoted his life to a form of service. He had a great vision for his people, and by the time this book hit print he had been making enormous strides toward the success of this vision for twenty years.

So when Washington said he "pitied" racists, it was clearly not an empty statement or a childish insult. Washington knew his Bible very, very well. I believe he was also speaking the truth when he said, "I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him." He knew God cared enough about a "man from Ethiopia" that he sent Philip to explain the Bible to him. He knew that, in Christ, there is "neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free." He didn't doubt that racism was wrong, and he didn't doubt his personal value. While he didn't necessarily expect to see it in his lifetime, he believed that African Americans would one day be recognized as equal, not only before the law, but socially.

But he also knew he was a "sheep in the midst of wolves," and that he needed to be "wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove." While I didn't know it the first time I read this book as a child, having read the book I was not at all surprised to hear that Washington had a "secret life" of supporting and encouraging legal equality for black people; that this is what he believed in was clear to me from the first, and also that he was enough of a politician not to publicly fight a battle that might cost him his war.

Back in the day, Washington was often called Moses or Joshua, but he recognized that God did not call His People to conquer by force anymore, and hadn't since long before the time of Christ. Rather, Washington recommended -- and followed -- the bottom-up policies of the early Christians. While he didn't turn down opportunities for legal protection, his primary goal was to convince everyday, ordinary people that blacks were the equal of whites, and he intended doing so by educating blacks to prove their worth.

While he is often identified with the Social Gospel movement, Washington believed individual transformation -- raising up educated Christians who believe in, and are capable of, hard work in the service of God -- was a better route than social transformation. William Dean Howells asked, “What if [the amiability of Washington’s words] should veil a sense of our absurdities, and there should be in our polite inferiors the potential for something like contempt for us?” Howells concludes that Washington does not have contempt for whites, and I agree with him, however I suspect Washington really had no time for the idea that he was Howells' inferior, or that blacks were inferior to whites. Washington knew, if Howells didn't, that some "help" is just another way for racists to feel superior to those they're supposedly helping.

Unlike many who identified with the Social Gospel movement, Washington honestly believed that black people, given similar opportunities, could be the equal of whites. He admired and respected "the common man," and with Martin Luther respected any man who worked hard at whatever work he had been given. He believed in empowering the powerless by actually enabling them to take charge of their own lives. He recognized that help from the powerful was necessary, but also that charity could destroy and independence must be the goal.

Washington knew that men are selfish and sinful, but also that capitalism works to minimize the damage that does: "... there is something in human nature which always makes an individual recognize and reward merit, no matter under what colour of skin merit is found... it is the visible, the tangible, that goes a long way in softening prejudices. The actual sight of a first-class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build.... The individual who can do something that the world wants done will, in the end, make his way regardless of his race."

This, I think, is why he is so often dismissed as an Uncle Tom. He not only believed in people's ability to rise above race and to accomplish things within a racist society -- he demonstrated that ability, accomplishing enormous things within a society generally hostile to his goals. While he recognizes his own and his people's lack of resources, he also expects them to make the best use of the resources they have. That combination invariably gets the Uncle Tom label from those who don't believe black people are the equal of white.

As a kid, I thought people called some blacks "Uncle Toms" because they'd never read Stowe's original novel. Now, I think many people who use that insult recognize that Uncle Tom was the book's hero -- but they either reject Christianity or hate the idea that blacks should aspire to such a high standard. ...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Q rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Incredible person...definitely in my top 5 people I'd most like to have dinner with (or more correctly, with whom I'd like to have dinner). He was living proof that a person's worth matters little where you start out in life and much more to do with how you choose to live that life.

For a man born into slavery in the South to have such a lifelong approach to equality for ALL people is amazing. Some of the bigotry and hate Booker T. Washington must have endured while growing up and getting educate ...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Abby added it · review of another edition

Honesty: If I was not currently in rural Australia with only an e-reader and Project Gutenberg, I wouldn't have picked this up.

That said, I'm not sure why this narrative is not wildly popular with modern audiences. Maybe it just needs to be put on a new shelf, since it reads like one of the better-selling self-help titles: Self Sufficiency 101, Starting Your Dream NonProf/Business/Institute of Higher Education, The Key to Financial Success, The Social Benefits of Dental Hygiene, The Power of Opt ...more

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Mar 05, 2014 Vicky Kaseorg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the most inspiring books I have read in a long time. Refusing to accept his struggles and poverty and humble beginning as a slave to prevent him form leading a worthy life, this incredible man excels in all he does. If I were feeling sorry for myself and in a pity party, this book would snap me out of it with a resounding smack. Love the message that hard work, perseverance, Godliness, righteousness, and kindness can really change the world.

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May 23, 2008 Laine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: any person old enough to read

Recommended to Laine by: it was one that I read in high school and wanted to reaquaint my

I learned (what I had forgotten about this book) is that Booker never had trouble trusting that people would help him. He placed his trust in God and by doing so he knew that when the money was needed to build up the school at Tuskegee that it would be there. And it was and mostly from white people. it seems that they were more tolerant of the black population then that some are now. The school members worked as well as went to school and all succeeded in life. We need more of this kind of drive ...more

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Jul 14, 2015 A Great Book Study rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: twem , twem-biographies , biography , re-read

I so do honor and respect this man. America needs more leaders like Booker T. Washington.

My review: http://greatbookstudy.blogspot.com/20...

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Oct 23, 2011 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

A beautiful book by a remarkable man. You should read it too....mgc

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May 12, 2015 rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015 , black-lit , of-the-south-or-its-environs , own , social-justice , this-is-america , true-story , working-class

It's easy to see why Booker T. Washington is criticized for his questionably cheery flattery of Southern whites. At first I thought this was an earlier "let no man pull you so low as to hate him," which is an admirable personal mindset. But as a civic representative of people who've been released from decades of one type of oppression into another, it runs roughshod over some very valid feelings.

Other reviewers here have suggested that Washington's "accommodationism" (and the entirety of this b ...more

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Jul 11, 2014 Josephalewis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Of my father I know even less than of my mother. I do not even know his name. i have heard reports to the effect that he was a white man who lived on one of the nearby plantations... But i do not find especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.' p2
"The picture of several dozen boys and girls in a schoolroom engaged in study made a deep impression upon me, and I had the feeling that to get int "Of my father I know even less than of my mother. I do not even know his name. i have heard reports to the effect that he was a white man who lived on one of the nearby plantations... But i do not find especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of the institution which the nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.' p2
"The picture of several dozen boys and girls in a schoolroom engaged in study made a deep impression upon me, and I had the feeling that to get into a schoolhouse and study in this way would be about the same as getting into paradise." p5
"I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery. I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race. No one section of our country was wholly responsible for its introduction, and, besides, it was recognized and protected for years by the General Government. Having once got its tentacles fastened on to the economic and social life of the Republic, it was no easy matter for the country to relieve itself of the institution. Then, when we rid ourselves of prejudice, or racial feeling, and look facts in the face, we must acknowledge that, notwithstanding the cruelty and moral wrong of slavery, the ten million Negroes inhabiting this country, who themselves or whose ancestors went through the school of American slavery, are in a stronger and more hopeful condition, materially, intellectually, morally, and religiously, than is true of an equal number of black people in any other portion of the globe. This is so to such an extent that Negroes in this country, who themselves or whose forefathers went through the school of slavery, are constantly returning to Africa as missionaries to enlighten those who remained in the fatherland. This I say, not to justify slavery - on the other hand, I condemn it as an institution, as we all know that in America it was established for selfish and financial reasons, and not from a missionary motive - but to call attention to a fact, and to show how Providence so often uses men and institutions to accomplish a purpose. When persons ask me in these days how, in the midst of what sometimes seem hopelessly discouraging conditions, I can have such faith in the future of my race in this country, I remind them of the wilderness through which and out of which, a good Providence has already led us. Ever since I have been old enough to think for myself, I have entertained the idea that, notwithstanding the cruel wrongs inflicted upon us, the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did. The hurtful influences of the institution were not by any means confined to the Negro. This was fully illustrated by the life upon our own plantation. The whole machinery of slavery was so constructed as to cause labour, as a rule, to be looked upon as a badge of degradation, of inferiority. Hence labour was something that both races on the slave plantation sought to escape. The slave system on our place, in a large measure, took the spirit of self-reliance and self-help out of the white people."
"There was a feeling of deep interest, or perhaps sadness, on their faces, but not bitterness. As I now recall the impression they made upon me, they did not at the moment seem to be sad because of the loss of property, but rather because of parting with those whom they had reared and who were in many ways very close to them. The most distinct thing that I now recall in connection with the scene was that some man who seemed to be a stranger (a United States officer, I presume) made a little speech and then read a rather long paper - the Emancipation Proclamation, I think. After the reading we were told that we were all free, and could go when and where we pleased. My mother, who was standing by my side, leaned over and kissed her children, while tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She explained to us what it all meant, that this was the day for which she had been so long praying, but fearing that she would never live to see.For some minutes there was great rejoicing, and thanksgiving, and wild scenes of ecstasy. But there was no feeling of bitterness. In fact, there was pity among the slaves for our former owners. The wild rejoicing on the part of the emancipated coloured people lasted but for a brief period, for I noticed that by the time they returned to their cabins there was a change in their feelings. The great responsibility of being free, of having charge of themselves, of having to think and plan for themselves and their children, seemed to take possession of them."
"in later years, I confess that I do not envy the white boy as I once did. I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." p27
"Every persecuted individual and race should get much consolation out of the great human law, which is universaland eternal, that merit, no matter under what skin found, is, in the long run, recognized and rewarded. This I have said here, not to call attention to myself as an individual, but to the race to which I am proud to belong." p28
"It could not have been expected that a people who had spent generations in slavery, and before that generations in the darkest heathenis, could at 1 form ay proper conception of what an education meant." p.56
"More and more I am convinced that the final solution of the political end of our race problem will be for each state that finds it necessary to change the law bearing upon the franchise to make the law apply with absolute honesty, and without opportunity for double dealing or evasion, to both races alike. Any other course my daily observation in the South convinces me, will be unjust to the Negro, unjust to the white man, and unfair to the rest of the states in the Union, and will be, like slavery, a sin that at some time we shall have to pay for." p.61
"Among a large class there seemed to be a dependence upon the Government for every conceivable thing. The members of this class had little ambition to create a position for themselves, but wanted the Federal officials to create one for them. How many times I wished then, and have often wished since, that by some power of magic I might remove the great bulk of these people into the county districts and plant them upon the soil, upon the solid and never deceptive foundation of Mother Nature, where all nations and races that have ever succeeded have gotten their start,—a start that at first may be slow and toilsome, but one that nevertheless is real." p63
"In all our difficulties and anxieties, however, I never went to a white or a black person in the town of Tuskagee for any assistance that was in their powere to render w/o being helped according to their means." p 101
"With God's help, I believe that I have completely rid myself of any ill feeling toward the Southern white man for any wrong that he may have inflicted upon my race. I am made to feel just as happy now when I am rendering service to Southern white men as when the service is rendered to a member of my own race. I pity from the bottom of my heart any individual who is so unfortunate as to get into the habit of holding race prejudice." p115
"My experience in getting money for Tuskegee has taught me to have no patience with those people who are always condemning the rich because they are rich, and because they do not give more to objects of charity. In the first place, those who are guilty of such sweeping criticisms do not know how many people would be made poor, and how much suffering would result, if wealthy people were to part all at once with any large proportion of their wealth in a way to disorganize and cripple great business enterprises. Then very few persons have any idea of the large number of applications for help that rich people are constantly being flooded with. I know wealthy people who receive as many as twenty calls a day for help. More than once, when I have gone into the offices of rich men, I have found half a dozen persons waiting to see them, and all come for the same purpose, that of securing money. And all these calls in person, to say nothing of the applications received through the mails. Very few people have any idea of the amount of money given away by persons who never permit their names to be known, I have often heard persons condemned for not giving away money, who, to my own knowledge, were giving away thousands of dollars every year so quietly that the world knew nothing about it."p127
"The wisest among my race understand that the agitation of questions of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all the privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing. No race that has anything to contribute to the markets of the world is long in any degree ostracized. It is important and right that all privileges of the law be ours, but it is vastly more important that we be prepared for the exercise of these privileges. The opportunity to earn a dollar in a factory just now is worth infinitely more than the opportunity to spend a dollar in an opera-house." p155
"when one feels sure that he has said or done the right thing, and is condemned, is to stand still and keep quiet. If he is right, time will show it." p.161
"In fact, my whole life has largely been one of surprises. I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements of this kind if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life -- that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living. I pity the man, black or white, who has never experienced the joy and satisfaction that come to one by reason of an effort to assist in making some one else more useful and more happy." p205 ...more

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Sep 17, 2013 La pointe de la sauce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'I have learnt that assistance given to the weak makes the one who gives it strong; and that oppression of the unfortunate makes one weak.'

An inspirational message of owning ones destiny through hard work in the interest of human brotherhood. I've read a few reviews which have cast Booker T as an 'Uncle Tom' or a racist appeaser, I fail to see any such message in his anti-victimization stance. His whole ethos is based on a man making his way in this world by the work of his hands, rising above o ...more

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Sep 17, 2013 Rachelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is the experiences from the life of Booker T. Washington as told by himself. He began life as a slave and became a great political leader and speaker. Despite his many great speeches he considers his greatest work to be that which he accomplished in behalf of the Tuskegee school which he founded and played a vital role in throughout his life. Although I read some criticism of this man... I believe that his moral character is something to be admired and to emulate. My favorite quotes fr ...more

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Jul 07, 2015 Angela Blount rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics , historical , non-fiction

“I have begun everything with the idea that I could succeed, and I never had much patience with the multitudes of people who are always ready to explain why one cannot succeed.”

In a nutshell: An extraordinary man recounts his extraordinary life, with an eye to extending his accomplishments ever further.

The context: This book was written in 1901, 35 years into the post American civil-war reformation period and 20 years after Booker T. Washington (then just 25 years old) founded the Tuskegee ...more

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Feb 23, 2015 Mykie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-bio , culture , black-authors , black-liberation , history , memoirs , slavery , 19th-century , 20th-century , civil-rights , classics , reviewed

Booker T. Washington’s auto-biography pretty much disgusted me. I use such a strong word here because I was disturbed so many times throughout the read. I just can’t bring myself to feel anything other than pure disgust as a result of reading what he referred to as his ‘auto-biography’. This was less of an auto-biography and more of a documentation that served two purposes:

1.) To describe how he created the Tuskegee Institute
2.) To thank all of the white folks who assisted in the above- referenc Booker T. Washington’s auto-biography pretty much disgusted me. I use such a strong word here because I was disturbed so many times throughout the read. I just can’t bring myself to feel anything other than pure disgust as a result of reading what he referred to as his ‘auto-biography’. This was less of an auto-biography and more of a documentation that served two purposes:

1.) To describe how he created the Tuskegee Institute
2.) To thank all of the white folks who assisted in the above- referenced effort

I went back and forth on what to say in this review because I do not want it to be mistaken that I do not appreciate Mr. Washington or his efforts. I still admire the monumental things he did for his people in response to his passion for education. I clearly recognize the efforts of, and hold sincere appreciation for, Booker T. Washington as a pioneer in my history as well as American history as a whole.

But the book rubbed me in all the wrong ways. Here we have a man who was born into the institution of slavery. Here we have a man who was born nameless, was denied an education for most of his life and who was discriminated against tremendously because he was black.

And then he comes up with this auto-biography where he pretty much sweeps the impacts of slavery and the aftermaths of slavery under the rug as if it wasn’t that bad. He comes up with a whole book praising certain white individuals for teaching him basic things like how to be clean, how to sweep a floor and how to survive. GIVE ME A BREAK! You cannot convince me that you were born into slavery on a plantation with your birth mother, who was also a slave, and hundreds of other slaves, but you weren’t exposed to or didn’t learn to appreciate hard work, cleanliness and survival until you were free and ran into a white person who just so happened to let their guard down and let you in. That really disturbs me to my core. At no point in this book does he give credit to his mother for hard work and survival. He never highlights anything done or said by fellow slaves that encouraged him. He jumps straight into praise of white folks at the beginning all the way to the end of this book. Which leads to my suspicions that the intention of, and motivation for, this book had very little, if anything , to do with highlighting his life story. I am solid in my belief that the motivation for this book was to either secure more funding for the University or to gain additional recognition for his contributions to it. Almost like a literary pat on his own back. Either way, it’s disturbing.

Additionally, Mr. Washington continually made mockeries of his fellow black brothers and sisters and former slaves. Almost like he looked down on them and thought he was better than them. This was equally disturbing.

Those are my two cents.

But I do want to mention, again, that my comments are in reference to the book and do not mirror how I feel about Mr. Washington or his efforts and accolades. I do find it admirable that he did so much with this life after slavery. I do appreciate the role he played in bringing education to the South for former slaves. I admire his dedication to his cause. But I strongly disliked most of his book.
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Dec 16, 2010 Rachael Szydlowski rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first of the nonfiction books I read was Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery. Before reading this text, I knew very little about the accomplishments of Booker T. Washington, only being familiar with the name–knowing he was important to African American and US history, but not why.

The short text (166 pages in total) highlights Washington’s childhood days, first as a slave and then as a struggling family in West Virginia. The book next delves into his time at Hampton Institute, where he wen The first of the nonfiction books I read was Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery. Before reading this text, I knew very little about the accomplishments of Booker T. Washington, only being familiar with the name–knowing he was important to African American and US history, but not why.

The short text (166 pages in total) highlights Washington’s childhood days, first as a slave and then as a struggling family in West Virginia. The book next delves into his time at Hampton Institute, where he went to school and where he later taught. The largest sum of the text was dedicated to his time as the principal of the Tuskegee Institute and his public speaking engagements during that same time.

Washington’s style of writing is very enjoyable to read. He offers many antidotes and stories to go along with the points he is making, and he manages to share his personality and voice through his writing. However, I was quite taken aback by his critical outlook on Southern African Americans and his glowing approval of white Southerners. While it was clear that Washington was for the betterment of his people, and he believed that this best be achieved by the cooperation of white and black people in the US, his many of criticizing people of his own race, especially considering the long, difficult road they’ve encounters, surprised me. Clearly, I was not around when this text was originally published (1901), but I would assume that the racial climate was quite difficult. I worry that a text such as Washington’s might be used to further support the racist actions and notions of some white people in the US.

From additional reading, I discovered that Washington received pretty harsh criticism from W.E.B. Du Bois, as well as the NAACP, for his soft and accommodating manner. Du Bois believed that Washington should take a stronger stand for the civil rights of African Americans. However, Washington maintained that pressure and anger would not be helpful in advancing the place of African Americans in Southern society.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this text. I learned quite a bit about an important figure in American history, and I was presented with a perspective different than what is usually shared in a history classroom. However, while the work done by Washington was admirable (especially the literal creation of the Tuskegee Institute), I find myself leaning with the position of Du Bois, Washington needed (and possibly had the social and political power to) take a stronger stand against the position of African Americans in American society. ...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Mad Dog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: everybody as essential reading

Shelves: book-club

I am glad that I read this because BTW is a great man with a 'point of view' ( looking for the good in people, looking for common ground , establishing one's value through productivity , dedication to serving others ) that is refreshing. I think that he took things too far in that he was blind to some of the negative in people and he essentially believed in 'all work and no play'. But I still find him to be an inspirational man whose story is as essential to U.S. History as the stories of George Wa I am glad that I read this because BTW is a great man with a 'point of view' ( looking for the good in people, looking for common ground , establishing one's value through productivity , dedication to serving others ) that is refreshing. I think that he took things too far in that he was blind to some of the negative in people and he essentially believed in 'all work and no play'. But I still find him to be an inspirational man whose story is as essential to U.S. History as the stories of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, etc. It would be great if there was a leader like BTW today, but we end up with a lot of leaders who are much more partisan and seem much more self-serving.

I was also struck by the impression that I got that he was an especially beloved person by those around him. It is truly a special thing to be able to combine having high standards and an incredible work ethic with good interpersonal relationships (like BTW appeared to do). Who can pull that off?? I have not read anything else about him, so I don't really know for sure if he pulled it off as much as I think he did.

This book itself is too long for me (even though it is a short book). I was inspired and informed enough at about the half way point of the book. As inspiring as BTW's 'overcoming story' is, there is also a lot of preachiness (work hard, be moral, etc) in this book. This book is devoid of much talk of personal life. Two of BTW's wives died prematurely, and he just factually pointed this out (probably only because they worked with him). So it is a little hard to get past that this is an autobiography that is not very personal. I am sure that he felt that this book was not the forum to talk much about his personal feelings with regards to his family. And that sort of personal book was probably not the expectation 110 years ago (when BTW wrote this).

Would BTW be disappointed at the state of affairs in the U.S.A. today?
I think that he would (whether he would come out and say it or not). BTW was very optimistic about the future of the country and race relations, and I don't think the current state of the U.S.A (especially with regards to race) comes close to matching his high expectations. There a lot of specific reasons why I think BTW would be disappointed, but I think the main reason is the 'effective segregation' in the public shools. I have been to many school academic ceremonies (at 'very mixed-race schools') and I have never seen a black youth as an honoree. I understand that this is common throughout the U.S.A. There is no doubt that this is sad (whatever the reason may be).

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May 02, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Sudents

Recommended to Christine by: Teacher

Freed during the Reconstruction Period, former slave Booker T. Washington desired to attain a position of importance in a culture struggling to adjust to the emancipation of blacks. In his autobiography Up from Slavery, Washington continually stressed his idea that, “… there is something in human nature which always makes an individual recognize and reward merit, no matter under what colour of skin merit is found.” After he found success for himself through hard work and, often, physical labor, Freed during the Reconstruction Period, former slave Booker T. Washington desired to attain a position of importance in a culture struggling to adjust to the emancipation of blacks. In his autobiography Up from Slavery, Washington continually stressed his idea that, “… there is something in human nature which always makes an individual recognize and reward merit, no matter under what colour of skin merit is found.” After he found success for himself through hard work and, often, physical labor, he strove to impart that knowledge to young African-Americans for the benefit of his race as a whole. By doing so he earned the respect of whites and blacks alike, and left behind a legacy remembered even today.
Booker began his narrative by explaining how the newly freed blacks that lived with him on the plantation began to reconstruct their lives. Many families torn apart by slavery traveled great lengths to reconnect with each other. They moved far away from the families that had owned them to avoid being enslaved again. Many blacks took on new, longer names with meaningless middle initials as they felt this was an “entitlement” previously only afforded to white people. All of this was an attempt to gain the secure positions in the community that many white families enjoyed. Instead of learning a trade, however, many black men and women were sure that the only way to “make something of themselves” was to learn complicated and foreign subjects like Latin roots, accounting and bank keeping, and French grammar. The goal of every African-American was to gain a formal education, and Booker T. Washington was no different. He heard of Hampton Institute, a school for blacks, and struggled to raise the funds necessary to travel there in the hopes that he might attend. It was through this endeavor that he first discovered that there is no shame in physical labor.
Since his family was poor, Washington had no funds to aide him in attending school. Though he had been taught that success lies in education, philosophy, and “intellectual” thinking instead of manual labor, he earned his way through his courses at Hampton Institute by serving as a janitor and cleaning houses in the surrounding neighborhoods after his classes were over. Through his own experiences he began to learn that the successful foundation for the black man is the one he creates for himself through hard work with his hands. However, he continued to see other blacks stubbornly refusing to learn a trade, intent on learning subjects they could not practically apply to life. Many men suddenly felt “called” to be a preacher simply because they were tired of working in the fields, and blacks that could only write their names or read simple words were hired as ineffective school teachers to other blacks. These blacks believed that in order to be useful and irreplaceable members of society they had to learn and work in the same way as the white men, but in cases such as these they did nothing that built a sustaining foundation for their race.
Washington was able to finish his schooling because he followed his philosophy of building a foundation through manual labor. After accepting teaching positions at several small schools for blacks, he tried to instruct his students on the benefits of vocational learning. He believed that when the physical needs of the white men were met by the hard and skillful work of the blacks, African-Americans would slowly gain a place of respect in society that would lead to opportunities for them to teach and study more intellectual subjects. When he was asked to help construct a new school in Tuskegee, Washington put these ideas into practice by instructing the students of the institute in the construction of their own school buildings, furniture, and supplies. He also taught them cleanliness and the idea that practical knowledge was more beneficial to them at that time than the study of complex novels and textbooks.
As Tuskegee Institute continued to grow and attract students, people of all races from both the North and the South appreciated and respected the educational approach of the school and supported the school financially. Through Tuskegee and subsequent schools like it, African-Americans gained the skills that were not only necessary for the Reconstruction of the States, but for their personal, positive integration into society. Instead of attempting to become identical to the white men, they had allowed their unique merits and skills to be significantly displayed through hard work and physical labor, and demonstrated there was no shame in this fundamental approach to ever broadening their future success.
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Jan 11, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-figures

Booker T. Washington was born a slave around the year 1858-59. Slaves were set free in 1867 when Abraham Lincoln delivered his Emancipation Proclamation address. Booker then moved to West Virginia with his mother and two brothers and sister, they met up with his father. He worked as a salt grinder, worked in the mines and then as a laborer for a white lady. His goal was to get an education, he saved up to go to Hampton, working days while going to school at night. He then went back to Malden, We ...more

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Jun 20, 2011 SJ Loria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although Booker T Washington doesn't get quite the respect as Frederick Douglass or other prominent abolitionist movement leaders he does have some valid things to say and a pretty compelling story. His legacy is contriversial, as he advocated working for whites and trade school as the way to structure the black community after the abolition of slavery. Washington was big on the value of manual labor, and felt that the ability to work with one own hand's made one a stronger person and it was not Although Booker T Washington doesn't get quite the respect as Frederick Douglass or other prominent abolitionist movement leaders he does have some valid things to say and a pretty compelling story. His legacy is contriversial, as he advocated working for whites and trade school as the way to structure the black community after the abolition of slavery. Washington was big on the value of manual labor, and felt that the ability to work with one own hand's made one a stronger person and it was not a degrading position. Since blacks had just exited slvery, many felt differently, feeling that the purpose of their education was to elevate them above manual labor. That is another reason Washington left a mixed legacy. One important thing to remember was that this was a much less Uncle Tom position than it appears now. Interesting book, well worth a read to those interested in African American history.

Quotes

I can scarcely imagine any torture, except, perhaps, the pulling of a tooth, that is equal to that caused by putting on a new flax shirt for the first time. 34

One may get the idea from what I said, that there was a bitter feeling toward the white people on the part of my race, because of the fact that most of the white population was away fighting in a war which would result in keeping the Negro in slavery if the South was successful. In the case of the slaves on our place this was not true, and it was not true of any large portion of the slave population in the South where the Negro was treated with anything like decency. 35

I had learned from sombody that the way to begin to read was to learn the alphabet, so I tried in all the ways I could think of to learn it, - all of course without a teacher, for I could find no one to teach me. At that time there was not a single member of my race anywhere near us who could read, and I was too timid to approach any of the white people. 43

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. 50

At Hampton, for the first time, I learned what education was expected to do for an individual. Before going there I had a good deal of the ten rather prevalent idea among our people that to secure an education meant to have a good, easy time, free from all necessity for manual labour. At Hampton I not only learned that it was not a disgrace to labour, but learned to love labour, not alone for its financial value, but for labour's own sake and for the independence and self-reliance which the ability to do something which the world wants done brings. At that institution I got my first taste of what it meant to live a life of unselfishness, my first konwledge of the fact that the happiest individuals are those who do the most to make others useful and happy. 68

They knew more about Latin and Greek when they left school, but they seemed to know less about life and its conditions as they would meet in at their homes. 76

No white American ever thinks that any other race is wholly civilized until he wears the white man's clothes, eats the white man's food, speaks the white man's language, and professes the white man's religion. 81

My experience is that there is something in human nature which always makes an individual recognize and reward merit, no matter under what colour of skin merit is found. I have found, too, that it is the visible, the tangible, that goes a long ways in softening prejudices. The actual sight of a first class house that a Negro has built is ten times more potent than pages of discussion about a house that he ought to build, or perhaps could build. 111

In order to be successful in any kind of undertaking, I think the main thing is for one to grow to the point where he completely forgets himself; that is, to lose himself in a great cuase. In proportion as one loses himself in this way, in the same degree does he get the highest happiness out of his work. 126

[Talking to whites, one of his most contriversial quotes] 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. 148 ...more

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May 15, 2012 Pete daPixie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biogs , history-u-s

I have plunged head first here into mid-late 19th century American history, which for me, is a murky, steaming, unknown lagoon, full of snapping reptilian creatures. Ask me who Booker T. Washington was and I would be off thinking of 'green onions' and Stax soul.
Reading this biography, first published in 1901, has exposed me to the moral and socio/political changes of post Civil War America. 'Up from Slavery' documents the incredible rise from slave plantation shanty shacks in Virginia to the 'I ...more

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Jan 06, 2009 Terence rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography , history-general , history-us

I read this book in 2nd or 3rd grade. I can remember the scene: The teacher had spread out a group of biographies on the Willie Harris Elementary school library's table and asked us to chose one to read and do a report on. For whatever reason, I picked up Booker Washington's and enjoyed it. It was probably my first conscious introduction to slavery and blacks in American society; and his philosophy of self-reliance and education has influenced my own outlook to this day.

I don't know how I would ...more

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Aug 31, 2015 Brenda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love this book! The detailed story of Booker T Washington was phenomenal. Truly enjoyed and just in awe of what he went through in his life. He came out a champion. He worked hard and just loved people. He had a servant's heart. He wasn't fake in any way. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and opened my eyes to the life of a negro life when plantations and owners were the norm.

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