Up From SlaveryUp From Slavery
Score Classic
What it's about
Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in Virginia. After emancipation he worked in salt furnaces and coal mines, walked hundreds of miles to attend the Hampton Institute, and in 1881 founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, making it a leading Black college. Here he tells his life and his belief in education, hard work and self-reliance.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best nonfiction. It's a remarkable American life, and an important document of its time.
You'll love it if you liked
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom
Twelve Years a Slave
The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinGood to know
Washington's call for Black Americans to accept segregation for the time being was criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois and others, and readers still debate it. It's written in a formal, upbeat style for white and Black readers of 1901.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller14 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #141 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #258 of the 762 classics we rank
- #837 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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This Boy's Life: A Memoir
Cheaper by the DozenExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Up From Slavery worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best nonfiction. It ranks #837 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Up From Slavery about?
Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in Virginia. After emancipation he worked in salt furnaces and coal mines, walked hundreds of miles to attend the Hampton Institute, and in 1881 founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, making it a leading Black college. Here he tells his life and his belief in education, hard work and self-reliance.
How long does it take to read Up From Slavery?
About 4 hours (176 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Up From Slavery?
If you liked it, try Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight, Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup or The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin.