Booker T. Washington: “Make up your mind that you are going to conquer them.”

In this connection I have never been able to understand how the slaves throughout the South, completely ignorant as were the masses so far as books or newspapers were concerned, were able to keep themselves so accurately and completely…

When freedom came, the slaves were almost as well fitted to begin life anew as the master, except in the matter of book-learning and ownership of property.

But taking place at the time it did, and for the reason that it did, no one could ever make me believe that my mother was guilty of thieving.

I have long since ceased to cherish any spirit of bitterness against the Southern white people on account of the enslavement of my race.