Up From Slavery Author:Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856-1915) was born into slavery. After the Civil War he obtained a basic education while working as a coal miner and other jobs. After many difficulties, he studied at Hampton Institute in Virginia (1872-1875). He became an instructor at Hampton and in 1881 was asked to start a Negro normal school at Tuskegee, ... more »Alabama. He started Tuskegee Institute with one instructor, himself, and 30 students in borrowed quarters. Later, the school was moved just outside the town to an old plantation were it remains to this day. Many of the early buildings at Tuskegee were built by the students. Not only did this preserve limited funds but it also helped the students to learn a trade. This is part of American History, that all students should know.« less
Listed on The Modern Library's 100 Most Influential Books for good reason! It is inspiring and gives one a great understanding of this time period. Booker T. Washington was an amazing man and we should all be aware of his story.