Booker T. Washington: “I think that as a general thing you can judge pretty accurately what a person is going to amount to in life by the way…”

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

These discussions showed that they understood the situation, and that they kept themselves informed of events by what was termed the “grape-vine” telegraph.

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.

Despite this disappointment, however, I determined that I would learn something, anyway.