Desirable unsigned first edition of Washington's first book: The Future of the American Negro by Booker T. Washington. First edition. Boston: Small, Maynard & Company, 1899. Hardcover bound in the publisher's red cloth with gilt title and top edge gilt, 5.25 x 7.75, 244 pages. Book condition: VG/None, with a glossy photo of sculptor Richmond Barthé curiously affixed to the front pastedown, with a fleck of surface loss above.
In his first published book, The Future of the American Negro, Booker T. Washington presents a comprehensive analysis of the progress and challenges faced by African Americans post-emancipation. Washington advocates for vocational education as a means for African Americans to gain economic independence and social respect. He also emphasizes the importance of self-reliance, hard work, and the gradual improvement of the race's status through education and entrepreneurship.
