Book Review of "Up form Slavery - Booker T Washington"

1. Up From Slavery
by Booker T. Washington
Book Review by :
Jasiya Syed

2. Chapter 1
A Slave Among Slaves
In the first chapter, the reader is given a vivid yet brief sight of the life of
slaves, as seen from the author's point of view.
Basically, it speaks of the hardships the slaves endured before independence,
their dedication for their masters, and their joys and hassles after liberty.
The first chapter explains about his suffering in that plantation and the end
days of his slavery.
The author feels that his life had its beginning in midst of the most miserable
surroundings.

3. Chapter 2
Boyhood Days
In the second chapter, the reader learns the importance of
naming oneself as a means of reaffirming freedom and the
extent to which freedmen and women would go to reunite their
families.
After families had reunited and named themselves, they would
then seek out employment (usually far from their former
masters).
The reader learns the story behind the author's name: Booker
Taliaferro Washington.

4. The second chapter also gives an account of cruel child labour
on the mines at the city of Malden.
Furthermore, Booker is badly attracted towards education and
oscillates between the extensive schedule of the day's work and
the school.
The second chapter also describes the role of Booker's mother
and her character. She was very much supporting to him and
would fulfil his needs at any cost.

5. Chapter 3
The Struggle for Education
Washington struggles, in this chapter, to earn enough money
to reach and remain at Hampton Institute.
That was his first experience related to the importance of
willingness to do manual labour.
This is the first introduction of General Samuel C. Armstrong

6. Chapter 4
Helping Others
Conditions at Hampton are discussed in this chapter, as well as
Washington's first trip home from school.
He returns early from vacation to aid teachers in the cleaning of
their classrooms.
When Washington returns the next summer, he is elected to teach
local students, young and old, through a night school, Sunday
school, and private lessons.
This chapter also gives the first mention of groups such as the Ku
Klux Klan.

7. Chapter 5
The Reconstruction Period (1867-1878)
Washington paints an image of the South during Reconstruction,
with several assessments of Reconstruction projects including:
education, vocational opportunities, and voting rights.
He speaks of the Reconstruction policy being built on "a false
foundation.”
He seeks to play a role in forming a more solid foundation based
upon “the hand, head, and heart.”

8. Chapter 6
Black Race and Red Race
General Armstrong calls Washington back to Hampton Institute
for the purpose of instructing and advising a group of young
Native-American men.
Washington speaks about different instances of racism against
Native Americans and African Americans.
Washington also begins a night school at this time.

9. Chapter 7
Early Days at Tuskegee
Once again General Armstrong is instrumental in encouraging Washington's next
project: the establishment of a normal school for African Americans in Tuskegee,
Alabama.
He describes the conditions in Tuskegee and his work in building the school: "much
like making bricks without straw.”
Washington also outlines a typical day in the life of an African American living in
the country at this time.
In May 1881, General Armstrong told Washington he had received a letter from a
man in Alabama to recommend someone to take charge of a "colored school" in
Tuskegee.

10. The man writing the letter thought that there was not a "coloured" person to fill
the role and asked him to recommend a white man.
The general wrote back and to tell him about Washington, and he was accepted
for the position.
Washington went there and describes Tuskegee as a town of 2,000 population
and as being in the "Black Belt" of the South, where nearly half of the residents
were "coloured" and in other parts of nearby counties there were six African-
American people to one white person.
He explains that he thinks the term 'Black Belt' originated from the rich, dark
soil of the area, which was also the part of the South where slaves were most
profitable.
Once at Tuskegee, his first task was to find a place to open the school and
secured a rundown "shanty" and African-American Methodist church.
He also travelled around the area and acquainted himself with the local people.

11. He describes some of the families he met and who worked in the cotton
fields.
He saw that most of the farmers were in debt and schools were generally
taught in churches or log cabins and these had few or no provisions.
Some, for example, had no means of heating in the winter and one school
had one book to share between five children.
He goes on to relate the story of a man aged around 60. He told
Washington he had been sold in 1845 and there had been five of them:
“There were five of us; myself and brother and three mules.”
Washington explains he is referring to these experiences to highlight how
improvements were later made.

12. Chapter 8
Teaching School in a Stable and a Hen-house
Washington details the necessity of a new form of education for the children of
Tuskegee, for the typical New England education would not be sufficient to
affect uplift.
Here is also the introduction of long-time partners, George W. Campbell
and Lewis Adams, and future wife, Olivia A. Davidson; these individuals felt
similarly to Washington in that mere book-learning would not be enough.
The goal was established to prepare students of Tuskegee to become teachers,
farmers, and overall moral people.
Washington’s first days at Tuskegee are described in this chapter, as is his
method of working.

13. He demonstrates a holistic approach to his teaching in that he researched the
area and the people and how poverty stricken many were.
His visits also showed how education was both a premium and underfunded,
and therefore justifies the setting up of this new facility.
Tuskegee is also seen to be set in a rural area, where agriculture was the main
form of employment, and so the Institute’s later incarnation as an industrial
school that was fit for teaching its students skills for the locale is justified.
He encountered difficulties in setting up the school, which he opened on July
4, 1881, and this included some opposition from white people who questioned
the value of educating African Americans:
"These people feared the result of education would be that the Negros would
leave the farms, and that it would be difficult to secure them for domestic
service."

14. He describes how he has depended on the advice of two men in particular and
these were the ones who wrote to General Armstrong asking for a teacher.
One is a white man and a former slave holder called George W. Campbell.
The other is a "black" man and a former slave called Lewis Adams.
When the school opened they had 30 students and these were divided roughly
equally between the sexes.
Many more had wanted to come, but it had been decided that they must be
over 15 and have had some education already.
Many who came were public school teachers and some were around 40 years
of age.
The number of pupils increased each week and there were nearly 50 by the
end of the first month. A co-teacher came at the end of the first 6 weeks

15. This was Olivia A. Davidson and she later became his wife.
She had been taught in Ohio and came South as she had heard of the need for
teachers.
She is described as brave in the way she nursed the sick when others would not
(such as caring for a boy with smallpox).
She also trained further at Hampton and then at Massachusetts State Normal
School at Framingham.
She and Washington agreed that the students needed more than a 'book
education' and they thought they must show them how to care for their bodies
and how to earn a living after they had left the school.
They tried to educate them in a way that would make them want to stay in these
agricultural districts (rather than leave for the city and be forced to live by their
wits). Many of the students came initially to study so that they would not have
to work with their hands, whereas Washington aimed for them to be capable of
all sorts of labor and to not be ashamed of it.

16. Chapter 9
Anxious Days and Sleepless Nights
This chapter starts by stating how the people spent Christmas
drinking and having a merry time, and not bearing in mind the
true essence of Christmas.
This chapter also discusses the Institute's relationship with the
locals of Tuskegee, the purchase and cultivation of a new farm, the
erection of a new building, and the introduction of several
generous donors, mostly northern.
The death of Washington's first wife, Fannie N. Smith, is
announced in this chapter. He had a daughter named Portia

17. Chapter 10
A Harder Task Than Making Bricks Without Straw
In this chapter, Washington discusses the importance of having the students
erect their own buildings: "Not a few times, when a new student has been led
into the temptation of marring the looks of some building by lead pencil marks
or by the cuts of a jack-knife, I have heard an old student remind him: 'Don't
do that. That is our building. I helped put it up.’
"The bricks reference in the title refers to the difficulty of forming bricks
without some very necessary tools: money and experience.
Through much labour, the students were able to produce fine bricks; their
confidence then spilling over into other efforts, such as the building of
vehicles.

18. Chapter 11
Making Their Beds Before They Could Lie in Them
The establishment of a boarding department is discussed as attendance rises at
Tuskegee Institute.
Washington impresses upon the students at Tuskegee that this is not his
school, it is theirs for they have as much an interest in its success as anyone
else.
With this philosophy in mind, students proceed to construct their own
furniture. Washington also impresses upon Tuskegee students the importance
of the tooth brush.

19. Chapter 12
Raising Money
Washington travels north to secure additional funding for the Institute with
which he had much success.
Two years after a meeting with one man, the Institute received a cheque of ten
thousand dollars and, from another couple, a gift of fifty thousand dollars.
Washington felt great pressure for his school and students to succeed, for failure
would reflect poorly on the ability of the race.
It is this time period Washington begins working with Andrew Carnegie,
proving to Carnegie that this school was worthy of support.
And Not only did Washington find large donations helpful, but small loans were
key which paid the bills and gave evidence to the community's faith in this type
of education

20. Chapter 13
Two Thousand Miles for a Five-Minute Speech
Washington marries again. His new wife is Olivia Davidson, first mentioned
in Chapter 8.
This chapter begins Washington's public speaking career; first at the National
Education Association. His next goal was to speak before a Southern white
audience.
His first opportunity was limited by prior engagements and travel time,
leaving him only five minutes to give his speech. Subsequent speeches were
filled with purpose: when in the North he would be actively seeking funds,
when in the South encouraged "the material and intellectual growth of both
races.“
The result of one speech was the Atlanta Exposition.

21. Chapter 14
The Atlanta Exposition Address
The speech that Washington gave to the Atlanta Exposition is printed here in
its entirety.
He also gives some explanation of the reaction to his speech: first, delight
from all, then, slowly, a feeling among African Americans that Washington
had not been strong enough in regards to the "'rights' of the race.
In time, however, the African-American public would become, once again,
generally pleased with Washington's goals and methods for African-
American uplift.

22. Washington also speaks about the African-American clergy.
He also makes a much disputed statement about voting:
"I believe it is the duty of the Negro – as the greater part of the race is already doing –
to deport himself modestly in regard to political claims, depending upon the slow but
sure influences that proceed from the possession of property, intelligence, and high
character for the full recognition of his political rights. I think that the according of the
full exercise of political rights is going to be a matter of natural, slow growth, not an
over-night, gourd-vine affair. I do not believe that the Negro should cease voting…but
I do believe that in his voting he should more and more be influenced by those of
intelligence and character who are his next-door neighbors…I do not believe that any
state should make a law that permits an ignorant and poverty-stricken white man to
vote, and prevents a black man in the same condition from voting. Such a law is not
only unjust, but it will react, as all unjust laws do, in time; for the effect of such a law is
to encourage the Negro to secure education and property. I believe that in time,
through the operation of intelligence and friendly race relations, all cheating at the
ballot box in the South will cease.”

23. Chapter 15
The Secret Success in Public Speaking
Washington speaks again of the reception of his Atlanta
Exposition Speech.
He then goes on to give the reader some advice about
public speaking and describes several memorable
speeches...

24. Chapter 16
Europe
The author is married a third time, to Margaret James Murray.
He speaks about his children.
At this time, he and his wife are offered the opportunity to travel
to Europe.
Mixed emotions influenced their decision to go: Washington had
always dreamed of traveling to Europe, but he feared the
reaction of the people, for so many times had he seen individuals
of his race achieve success and then turned away from the
people.

25. Mr and Mrs Washington enjoyed their trip, especially upon
seeing their friend, Henry Tanner, an African-American
artist, being praised by all classes.
During their time abroad, the couple was also able to take
tea with both Queen Victoria and Susan B. Anthony.
Upon arriving back in the United States, Washington was
asked to visit Charleston, West Virginia, near his former
home in Malden

26. Chapter 17
Last Words
Washington describes his last interactions with General Armstrong and his
first with Armstrong's successor, Rev. Dr.Hollis B.Frissell.
The greatest surprise of his life was being invited to receive an honorary
degree from Harvard University, the first awarded to an African American.
Another great honour for Washington and Tuskegee was the visit of President
McKinley to the Institute, an act which McKinley hoped to impress upon
citizens his “interest and faith in the race .”
Washington then describes the conditions at Tuskegee Institute and his
resounding hope for the future of the race.

27. Thank You for Reading.