Booker T. Washington 
The Future of the American Negro 

Written in 1899 by Booker T. Washington, an American educator, orator, and advisor to several United States presidents, The Future of the American Negro outlines Washington’s ideas on the history of African-American people and their need for education in order to advance themselves within society. Putting emphasis on the concept of industrial education, a term that encompasses learning the necessary functions of becoming a valuable member of society as well as being able to apply that knowledge to industrial business, Washington created a commentary on race, religion, education, and the state of America as it was in his time. Booker T. Washington was born into slavery and later went on to become one of the dominant leaders in the African American community, actively working against disenfranchisement and discrimination. The Future of the American Negro is an integral listen for anyone interested in American history, race, and key political figures of the past.

About the author

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was born into slavery and overcame racism and oppression to become one of the most respected and influential African-American leaders of the late nineteenth century. He founded the Alabama Tuskegee Institute in 1881 and advocated the advancement of African Americans through education and entrepreneurship. An adviser to Presidents Roosevelt and Taft, Washington displayed an apparent acceptance of segregation and clashed with other black leaders such as W. E. B. Du Bois who took a more militant approach to social change.