A Will to Be Free

Booker T. Washington

Feb 2013 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

Collected here in this omnibus edition are three influential autobiographies of prominent men who rose up from slavery to greatness. Essential reading for anyone interested in African American Heritage. Included are Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington, Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass. Up from Slavery is one of the most influential biographies ever written. On one level it is the life story of Booker T. Washington and his rise from slavery to accomplished educator and activist. On another level it the story of how an entire race strove to better itself. Washington was constantly, and often bitterly, criticized by his contemporaries for being too conciliatory to whites and not concerned enough about civil rights. It would not be until after his death that the world would find out that he had indeed worked a great deal for civil rights anonymously behind the scenes. Twelve Years a Slave is the harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnaped by unscrupulous slave hunters and sold into slavery where he endured unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue twelve years later. A powerful and riveting condemnation of American slavery. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is one of the most influential autobiographies ever written. This classic did as much as or more than any other book to motivate the abolitionist to continue to fight for freedom in American. Frederick Douglass was born a slave, he escaped a brutal system, and through sheer force of will educated himself and became an abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman, and reformer. This is one of the most unlikely and powerful success stories ever written.

Ratings and reviews

Well BookerT was a very smart person intelligent, but like no other he was faithful a what he did. He got to live out his dreams. And he knew how to get the right people together to solve and never ending puzzle of someone's life and putting the peaces together after he finished everything finally and his rewards a humility that he went through payed off a very talkive person most of all educated. Men secrets aren't ment to be told. But let's go on with life like it's 2022 and Remember all those teachers that cared. And bringing mart children in this world not selfish. And to keep on the phone keep doing your research. And please don't forget the emails and our Men ad women of honor and Kamilia Harris our first woman Vice President who didn't know that none of those emails sent to the White House from Michelle L. Graham Actress Promotor producer . Kamilia and Barak are still the sorriest people on the planet all emails from1990 never got answered or everyone lawsuit money. !!!

A true story of courage, a man who despite having the worst beginnings went on to become an amazing teacher, speaker and ambassador for the rights of black Americans. Great read.

Strength , Courage , Honor, Sacrifice, Faith in oneself.

About the author

Booker Taliaferro Washington, 1856 - 1915 Booker T. Washington was born a slave in Hales Ford, Virginia, near Roanoke. After the U.S. government freed all slaves in 1865, his family moved to Malden, West Virginia. There, Washington worked in coal mines and salt furnaces. He went on to attend the Hampton, Virginia Normal and Agricultural Institute from 1872-1875 before joining the staff in 1879. In 1881 he was selected to head the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, a new teacher-training school for blacks, which he transformed into a thriving institution, later named Tuskegee University. His controversial conviction that blacks could best gain equality in the U.S. by improving their economic situation through education rather than by demanding equal rights was termed the Atlanta Compromise, because Washington accepted inequality and segregation for blacks in exchange for economic advancement. Washington advised two Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, on racial problems and policies, as well as influencing the appointment of several blacks to federal offices. Washington became a shrewd political leader and advised not only Presidents, but also members of Congress and governors. He urged wealthy people to contribute to various black organizations. He also owned or financially supported many black newspapers. In 1900, Washington founded the National Negro Business League to help black business firms. Washington fought silently for equal rights, but was eventually usurped by those who ideas were more radical and demanded more action. Washington was replaced by W. E. B. Du Bois as the foremost black leader of the time, after having spent long years listening to Du Bois deride him for his placation of the white man and the plight of the negro. He died in 1915.