Up From Slavery
2 journalers for this copy...
I purchased this for our homeschool library. Lynzie is currently reading through it.
I read this book for my school study on the Civil War era, and I am surprised on how much I actually liked it.
It's an autobiography of Booker T. Washington, and how his journey from a young slave boy into a successful teacher in Tuskegee, Alabama.
It's such a good book, and I recommend it for a in depth study.
It's an autobiography of Booker T. Washington, and how his journey from a young slave boy into a successful teacher in Tuskegee, Alabama.
It's such a good book, and I recommend it for a in depth study.
I very much enjoyed this autobiography of Booker T. Washington. At first, I thought it was a reread, but I quickly realized I was mixing it up with Douglass's autobiography that I read about 12 years ago. This man had the "power of positive thinking" down to a science. I was regularly blown away by the positive attitude and forgiving heart he displayed repeatedly to those he had lots of good reasons to hate. I don't know that I could so easily lay down bitterness and frustration, feelings of wanting revenge or compensation, etc. and just walk into freedom with a desire to prove my worth and "right" to that freedom. In some cases, I think he displayed an unfortunate mentality that the black population had the ability to rise to the superior status of the white man, if they just put in a little effort. I understand why he may have thought that way, but it saddened me. I think people of all races can read this and be encouraged to be better tomorrow than they are today, by putting in a little effort --- but race is not a determining factor. The determining factor, in my opinion, is character.
Washington offers so much to think about, and a better understanding of thought in those days --- much that has been lost to time and our own assumptions so many generations later. For instance, at one point he talks about his discouragement at so many of his race misusing government assistance. While I agree people should not abuse this system, I think if anyone deserved government assistance, it was blacks of this generation trying to get on their feet after emancipation. For many, freedom was scary and uncomfortable. Many were like children who hadn't the first clue how to function in society as free people. Washington was fortunate to have the aptitude to be what may be the exception to the rule at that time. There are many today who want to "cancel" him as a sellout; but I think, at the time, he was a man trying to make some sense out of chaos and put his people on a sustainable path.
There were several historical facts I was made aware of that have changed my view of the past in some ways. For example, I didn't know that many Indians owned slaves. I also thought it was an interesting concept that blacks were encouraged to run for office in the South, sometimes as a "punishment" for former slave-owning states. I think this embarrassed Washington, to some extent, because the men who were running were not educated and equipped to manage matters of government. It seems his belief was that just because they had the freedom to, didn't mean it was a good idea yet. That's understandable. We are facing similar issues today by making decisions based on gender and race rather than by aptitude and ability. This is not wise and it has and will continue to make for a weak society. People read that today and call him a traitor to his brethren. I think he was wise and knew that starting with a solid foundation of basic citizenship for former slaves was more important than flighty exercises of freedoms that couldn't prove sustainable. While his critics today want to say he stifled blacks in his day, he recognized that they hadn't mastered even basic hygiene or household and family routines. If they weren't managing a household well, they weren't ready to manage a society. That has been true through all of history. Get yourself stable first, then help others. Washington may have done that quicker than his brethren, but I think his goal was to model it to everyone and build a strong, independent, intelligent community of blacks in America who could be proud of their personal accomplishments.
Washington may have had some mentalities that don't carry well into the 21st century, but there's no doubt he was an important stepping stone in the history of freedom and equality for all people.
The book is full of inspiring stories and quotes. Here are a few:
"I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him."
"great men cultivate love...weak men cherish a spirit of hatred"
"those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."
Washington offers so much to think about, and a better understanding of thought in those days --- much that has been lost to time and our own assumptions so many generations later. For instance, at one point he talks about his discouragement at so many of his race misusing government assistance. While I agree people should not abuse this system, I think if anyone deserved government assistance, it was blacks of this generation trying to get on their feet after emancipation. For many, freedom was scary and uncomfortable. Many were like children who hadn't the first clue how to function in society as free people. Washington was fortunate to have the aptitude to be what may be the exception to the rule at that time. There are many today who want to "cancel" him as a sellout; but I think, at the time, he was a man trying to make some sense out of chaos and put his people on a sustainable path.
There were several historical facts I was made aware of that have changed my view of the past in some ways. For example, I didn't know that many Indians owned slaves. I also thought it was an interesting concept that blacks were encouraged to run for office in the South, sometimes as a "punishment" for former slave-owning states. I think this embarrassed Washington, to some extent, because the men who were running were not educated and equipped to manage matters of government. It seems his belief was that just because they had the freedom to, didn't mean it was a good idea yet. That's understandable. We are facing similar issues today by making decisions based on gender and race rather than by aptitude and ability. This is not wise and it has and will continue to make for a weak society. People read that today and call him a traitor to his brethren. I think he was wise and knew that starting with a solid foundation of basic citizenship for former slaves was more important than flighty exercises of freedoms that couldn't prove sustainable. While his critics today want to say he stifled blacks in his day, he recognized that they hadn't mastered even basic hygiene or household and family routines. If they weren't managing a household well, they weren't ready to manage a society. That has been true through all of history. Get yourself stable first, then help others. Washington may have done that quicker than his brethren, but I think his goal was to model it to everyone and build a strong, independent, intelligent community of blacks in America who could be proud of their personal accomplishments.
Washington may have had some mentalities that don't carry well into the 21st century, but there's no doubt he was an important stepping stone in the history of freedom and equality for all people.
The book is full of inspiring stories and quotes. Here are a few:
"I would permit no man, no matter what his colour might be, to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him."
"great men cultivate love...weak men cherish a spirit of hatred"
"those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."
