This examination of the life and works of Booker T. Washington stresses his devotion to education as a means of advancement for African Americans. In addition to understanding the life and times of Booker T. Washington, readers will learn about some of the disagreements among African American leaders during the post-Reconstruction years, struggles faced during Washington's life, and successes achieved. Drawing on Washington's own writings as well as those of his contemporaries, this volume gives readers insight into the debates that have informed the civil rights movement since the nineteenth century.