Up from Slavery · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
Booker T. Washington dedicates his volume to his wife, Margaret James Washington, and his brother, John H. Washington, acknowledging their patience, fidelity, and hard work in contributing to the success of Tuskegee.
Chapter 2
Up from Slavery
Booker T. Washington recounts his early life from childhood in slavery to his journey for education and the founding of Tuskegee Institute, emphasizing the values of hard work, self-reliance, and racial uplift through industrial education.
Chapter 3
A Slave Among Slaves
Booker T. Washington reflects on his early life as a slave, describing the conditions of slavery, the impact of the Civil War, and the complex relationships between slaves and their masters. He emphasizes the lack of bitterness toward Southern whites, the moral and economic lessons learned from slavery, and the deep yearning for freedom and education that defined his childhood.
Chapter 4
II: Boyhood Days
Washington recounts his family's move to West Virginia after emancipation, his intense desire for education, and the challenges of balancing work and schooling in the salt-furnaces. He describes the community's first efforts to establish schools for Black children, his mother's support, and his own determination to learn despite obstacles.
Chapter 5
The Struggle for an Education
Booker T. Washington overhears miners discussing Hampton Institute, resolves to attend, works for Mrs. Viola Ruffner to save money, travels to Hampton, passes an entrance exam by thoroughly cleaning a room, and is admitted. He works as a janitor to pay his way, learns valuable lessons in cleanliness and discipline, and is deeply inspired by the dedication of students and teachers.

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Dedication

Up from Slavery

A Slave Among Slaves

II: Boyhood Days

The Struggle for an Education