Working With the Hands: Being a Sequel to "Up from Slavery," Covering the Author's Experiences in Industrial Training at Tuskegee

Booker T. Washington

Jun 2022 · DigiCat

About this ebook

Booker T. Washington's 'Working With the Hands' is a seminal work that delves into the importance of vocational education and manual labor in achieving success and self-reliance. Written in a clear and accessible style, the book addresses the societal norms and prejudices surrounding manual labor during Washington's time, emphasizing the dignity and value of all types of work. The book serves as a call to action for individuals to embrace the ethos of hard work and the practical skills gained through working with one's hands. Through compelling anecdotes and practical advice, Washington challenges readers to reconsider their views on manual labor and the role it plays in personal development. Booker T. Washington, a prominent African American educator and civil rights leader, drew upon his own experiences growing up in poverty and working various manual labor jobs to emphasize the importance of vocational education. Washington's belief in the transformative power of education and hard work greatly influenced his writing and activism, making 'Working With the Hands' a powerful testament to his beliefs. I highly recommend 'Working With the Hands' to readers interested in the intersection of education, race, and labor. Washington's insights are as relevant today as they were in his time, making this book a timeless and inspiring read for anyone seeking to better understand the value of manual labor and vocational skills.

About the author

Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an influential African American educator, author, and orator, born into slavery on a plantation in Virginia. He is renowned for his role in African American education and his advocacy for the African American community at a time when the United States was deeply segregated. After emancipation, Washington worked to educate himself, eventually leading him to helm the Tuskegee Institute, a black educational establishment in Alabama that he developed into a center of vocational education and black empowerment. Washington's philosophy centered on the importance of vocational education, self-help, and entrepreneurship among African Americans. His literary contributions are vast, including 'Working With the Hands' (1904), in which he elucidates his belief in the dignity of labor and the importance of practical education. This book reflected his commitment to the industrial education model and his belief that labor was not only a pathway to personal self-reliance but also a means for African Americans to advance economically and socially within a society fraught with racial discrimination. Washington's literary style is marked by its plain-spoken pragmatism and its focus on improving the lives of African Americans through education and economic progress. Through both his written and spoken word, Booker T. Washington emerged as a singular voice of black uplift at the dawn of the 20th century.