"Booker T. Washington has been described as the most famous and influential black man in the United States between 1895 and 1915. Born into slavery, his childhood was marked by poverty and hard labor. This compelling volume traces Washington's life from those early years, through his determined struggle to achieve an education, to his rise as an influential black leader and his sometimes-controversial ideas about how blacks should work to achieve equality in U.S. society. Accessible text covers important social studies material, while lively images bring the text to life. Photo captions, sidebars, and graphic organizers enhance the main text.

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