The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-06-28
UP FROM SLAVERY,

UP FROM SLAVERY.
Up From Sla1 cry. By Booker T. Wash
ington S1.5O- New York. Doubleday
:7Up From Slavery" by Prof Booker L.
Washington is a remarkable volume by a
remarkable man. Autobiographical writing
is dangerous enterprise at best, and should
men of earth. That Prof Washington be-
longs to the class of great men of our time,
requires neither. testimony nor proof, for, it
is one of the accepted facts.
-: IN writing OF the place and date Of his
birth he says: Il was born on planta-
ton in. Franklin County, Virginia. ! am
not quite sure of the exact date of my
been born somewhere and at sometime"
There is conscious humor in this sentence,
spice of wit, and the delicate sarcasm OF
great man, protesting against the insti
tuition of s!avery-that Institution which
had made it impossible, either for himself
or Frederick Douglass to know the exact day
of birth.
Later on he says that he does not know
who his father was-but that he knew that
he was white man.
My life had it's beginning in the midst
Of the most miserable, desolate, and dis
couraging surroundings Il was
! born in a typical log cabin, about fourteen
! by sixteen 1eet square. In this cabin |
! sister till after the Civil War, when we
| were all declared free
An account of his boyhood days-the
|
for the common necessities of life is mar
| rated IN simple manner which forms the
real charm OF Mr.. Washingtons literary
| style THIS volume however possesses a
| charm higher than that OF any style, for
| it portrays the Kaleidoscope changes in the
upward toiling career OF a youth, who
STARTED at an early age on a tramp to the
| Hampton Industrial Institute, in search
OF an education with boundless hope and
almost infinite patience as his only assets
IN TINS unknown voyage over hill and dale
city called Richmond. where he arrived
hungry, friendless and penniless. lie says
II must have walked the streets till aftel
midnight. At last l became so exhausted
courQged. just about the time that
reached extreme physical exhaustion, l
Side Waa aersed waeFs ef
waited for few minutes till l was sure
no passers could see me, and then crept
upon the ground Mr. Washington then re
| lates that the next day he went down tt
the river. and obtained work from the
captain OF a ship, who was unloading 6
me captain that he continued to work fol
him number of days, sleeping under the
Sidewalk every night, economizing in order
To- save ss1s m4 }ha to help him REACH Hampton
was rendered public reception by the
eeltizens OF Richmond in church, not fal
from the spot where he had slept upon the
ground. That he has also at the invitation
OF friends been guest in a Saratoga hotel
Where he was formerly employed as wait
er.
j., lie writes very entertaining chapter or
the Reconstruction PERIOD" and discusses
IN very comprehensive and practical man
ner the race problem at the South. 1t is
however, in writing of himself and Of his
early struggles that we find Mr. Washing
ton at his best. and note distinctly thai
patience under adversely, untiring industry
and optimism of rarely encountered char
acter; are the qualities which have made
possible the success which has attended the
| tor of the Worlds Work" pronounces. "thf
most useful man in the Republic''