Some chroniclers have called black history from 1881 to 1915 'The Age of
Booker T. Washington' and the label is apt, for he was without question
the most prominent spokesman for his race during the post-Reconstruction
period. Many of his contemporaries deemed him a savior -- the one man
who could bring concrete improvement to the lives of African-Americans
while also promoting racial harmony. Others, particularly black
intellectuals, called him a traitor to his race, asserting that his
accommodationist position not only contributed to black
disenfranchisement and dejure segregation but, in the words of W. E. B.
Du Bois, 'practically accepts the alleged inferiority of blacks.' But
however one judges Booker T. Washington, his vast influence is
inescapable, and his autobiography, "Up From Slavery," winner of the
National Book Award, is essential reading for anyone seeking insight
into the black experience in the early 20th century. In "Up From
Slavery," Washington does not dwell on his relatively brief period of
enslavement, focusing instead on his struggle to rise above it. For a
more balanced look at the experience of slavery itself, this special
Collector's Edition includes excerpts from the slave narratives of five
less-well-known black writers, offering perspective and background to
Washington's story. The text is further enhanced by a rich mix of
archival material from the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center
for Research in Black Culture.