“I had no schooling whatever while I was a slave, though I remember on several occasions I went as far as the schoolhouse door with one of my young mistresses to carry her books. 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.”
This book is a personal narrative by the author, who recounts his experiences as a former slave and his subsequent rise to prominence as an educator and civil rights leader. The work offers a first-hand account of the hardships and triumphs faced by the author in his quest for education and equality, providing insight into the historical context of slavery and the Reconstruction era in the United States. more
Booker T. Washington was an influential African American educator, author, orator, and advisor to several U.S. presidents. He was a prominent figure in the African-American community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known for his advocacy of vocational education and economic empowerment for African Americans. Washington founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, which evolved into Tuskegee University. He emphasized the importance of self-help and economic independence over immediate political and social reforms. more
“you gonna figure it all out and it's going to be so worth it, despite it all.”