Booker T. Washington - A Biography (Hardcover)

A fascinating look at one of the most important post-Civil War black leaders, Booker T. Washington: A Biography takes as its starting point the need for a fresh appraisal of this charismatic man, one that avoids stereotypes to get to the truth. To that end, the biography analyzes the various stages of Washington's life and career, his emergence as the "Wizard of Tuskegee," his political activities, and his role as a key figure in advancing a program of industrial education for blacks. Specific controversial events examined include Washington's speech at the 1895 Exposition espousing cooperation between black and white leaders and his seeming support of Theodore Roosevelt's decision to punish black soldiers following a racial incident at Brownsville, Texas, in 1906. Taking a revisionist look at existing scholarship, the book asserts that while Washington was not a militant spokesman for justice and full rights for American blacks, he was also not the "Uncle Tom" some have accused him of being.