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Up from Slavery
by Booker T. Washington

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very enlightening, April 26, 1999

     "Up From Slavery" brought to light the real deal behind the man Booker T. Washington. Before reading it, I was taught to believe that he accommodated and assimilated himself and the African American race to that of the white race. It has to be made known that Booker T. Washington was born into an era where the slave mentality was not only prominent but socially acceptable. To understand his conservative efforts, you'd have to understand the fact that he achieved everything in life by hard labor. Therefore, in order to promote economic and social equality, he had to promote issues that led to these things. In other words, he felt that the newly freed blacks were not ready to integrate themselves into white society, a society that did not respect their freedom at all. He wanted African Americans to embrace a nationalistic attitude before asking white society to embrace it. If blacks were seen as the uncouf beings that we were thought to be...acceptance would never occur. So, in using every resource available including accommodation, Washington underhandedly promoted social and racial equality for all.

Very important book about a great and misunderstood American, February 3, 1999

     Everyone should read "Up From Slavery" by Booker T. Washington. Washington was one of the most outstanding people in our history. If he lived today he probably would become President and be one of our greatest Presidents. He had an iron will to achieve his goals in life and to do something to help his people. He started in life in slavery, born to a single mother. Later on he was abused and exploited by his step-father. He overcame tremendous hardships to get an education. He then dedicated his life to helping other African-Americans to improve their lives. He is often criticized for compromising too much with the white establishment. I think however that people need to understand the difficulties of his time and also his way of trying to change people indirectly rather than through direct confrontation. "Up From Slavery" is a great example of this. It is also fun to read. I have a personal reason for liking Washington. In World War II my father was in the Air Corps. For some time the bomber he flew in was protected by the famous Tuskeegee Airmen who were trained at Tuskeegee Institute, founded by Washington. The Tuskeegee Airmen never lost a plane that they escorted. So you see, if it hadn't been for Booker T. Washington I might not be here.

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Fascinating and uplifting, July 11, 2003

Reviewer: Kurt A. Johnson  from Downers Grove, Illinois, USA

     In 1901, Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) published this autobiography. Born into slavery, after emancipation, Mr. Washington developed a philosophy that African-Americans needed to sweep away the ignorance that their subservient position had left them with, and earn the respect of the whites through hard work and excellence. In 1881 he founded the Tuskegee Institute to teach African-Americans how to study, how to work hard and intelligently (producing better results than the white businesses of the day), and how to have respect for themselves and others. This is Mr. Washington's story of his youth and his success at Tuskegee.

     This is a fascinating and uplifting book. Though cognizant of the racism that often surrounded him, Mr. Washington never lost his faith in the basic goodness of the people of all colors that he met. The only problem I had with this excellent book was the knowledge I could not shake, that Mr. Washington's faith was not rewarded, and the white community of the day would not give the African-American community respect and fair treatment.

     That said, though, this is a great and wonderful book, which should rightly be considered an American classic. If you want to read a book that is a window on the America of the late nineteenth century, or if you want an uplifting book about a man of faith and love, then I highly recommend that you get this book!

Well-written statement of the conservative approach . . ., February 16, 2003

     This is a very well-written statement of the conservative approach to the quest for Black equality. Written as Booker T. Washington's autobiography, it is important to keep in mind that part of the purpose of this book was to recruit donors to fund the Tuskegee Institute--which meant that Washington needed to emphasize that he was an accomodationist and not in any way a radical. That being said, some of the sentiments expressed in this book seem very over-optimistic in retrospect. For example, Washington says he believes that whites in the South will grant blacks full political rights of their own accord, when blacks are mature enough to deserve them, because people are innately good and will do the right thing. The end of Reconstruction and the advent of Jim Crow laws, along with the intensity of the battle for civil rights, showed him to be mistaken on that point--which is partly why he was eventually eclipsed as a leader by W.E.B. DuBois. Still, this book is a fascinating autobiography and a great statement of the moderate, gradualist approach to attaining equality.
 

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