Up From Slavery

Booker T. Washington's autobiography Up From Slavery tells of his rise from bondage to become an internationally known educator and spokesman for African Americans. Max Bennett Thrasher assisted in publishing the book by reviewing and editing the manuscript that Washington wrote in his spare time on board trains or at hotels or railroad stations. Washington changed the name of this building about 1903 from Science Hall to Thrasher Hall in tribute to Thrasher's help. First published in 1901, the book became required reading for Tuskegee students and was recommended for others interested in black history and civil rights. By the eve of the twentieth century, Washington was regarded as a powerful orator, and his 1895 speech at the Atlanta Cotton Exposition and his autobiography helped make him a major public figure.

Tuskegee, Alabama · United States