"Rising Beyond Chains" is a compilation of the influential writings of Booker T. Washington, a prominent American educator and advocate born into slavery. Through his eloquent slave narratives, powerful memoirs, and thought-provoking lectures and speeches, Washington emerges as a leading voice for former slaves and their descendants during a crucial period in American history. Through this compilation, readers gain profound insights into Washington's philosophy, emphasizing self-reliance, education, and economic empowerment as essential components of African-American progress. Table of Contents: The Story of My Life and Work Up from Slavery The Future of the American Negro Character Building Working With the Hands The Negro in the South The Man Farthest Down Frederick Douglass The Story of Slavery Industrial Education for the Negro Address in Memory of Carl Schurz

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. He was also a key proponent of African-American businesses and one of the founders of the National Negro Business League.