Booker T. Washington: “Have you justified your parents in the sacrifice of time and money which they have made in order to allow you to come…”

I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery.

I cannot remember having slept in a bed until after our family was declared free by the Emancipation Proclamation.

Even to this day I can recall accurately the tortures that I underwent when putting on one of these garments.

Ever since I have been old enough to think for myself, I have entertained the idea that, notwithstanding the cruel wrongs inflicted upon us, the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did.