Up from Slavery: An Autobiography

Up from Slavery is the 1901 autobiography of American educator Booker T. Washington. Washington was born into slavery during the era of the Civil war and rose to become an esteemed educator who established several vocational schools as well as The Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. His goal was to help d disadvantaged minorities learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up by the bootstraps. His educational philosophy stressed combining academic subjects with learning a trade (something which is reminiscent of the educational theories of John Ruskin). Washington explained that the integration of practical subjects is partly designed to reassure the white community as to the usefulness of educating Black people. W.E.B. Dubois thought that Washington’s strategy would serve only to perpetuate White oppression. The African American community of the time was polarized but these notions of how best to achieve freedom from discrimination with Dubois’ followers urging protest and agitation while Washinton’s followers urged accepting for the moment the status quo and building up their community within the current system. Up From Slavery remains one of the most powerful personal memoirs from a self-made man who overcame extraordinary obstacles to not only succeed but devote his life to the success of others.