This book offers a radical departure from other interpretations of Booker T. Washington by focusing on his business ideas and practices. More specifically, the book examines Washington as an entrepreneur, spelling out his business philosophy at great length and discussing the influence it had on black America. It analyzes the national and regional economies in which Washington worked and focuses on his advocacy of black business development as the key to economic uplift for African Americans. The result is a revisionist book that responds to the skewed literature on Washington, even as it offe ... More

This book offers a radical departure from other interpretations of Booker T. Washington by focusing on his business ideas and practices. More specifically, the book examines Washington as an entrepreneur, spelling out his business philosophy at great length and discussing the influence it had on black America. It analyzes the national and regional economies in which Washington worked and focuses on his advocacy of black business development as the key to economic uplift for African Americans. The result is a revisionist book that responds to the skewed literature on Washington, even as it offers a new framework for understanding him. Based upon a deep reading of the Tuskegee archives, the book acknowledges Washington not only as a champion of black business development but one who conceived and implemented successful strategies to promote it as well.