Booker Taliaferro Washington (1856-1915) was an educator, author, intellectual and orator, who founded Tuskegee University in 1881. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the most prominent leader in the African American community.

"The Awakening of the Negro" (1896) is a semi-autobiographical essay that sets out Washington’s vision of uplifting his people. "Character Building" (1902) is a collection of speeches on self-development given to students and faculty at the Tuskegee Institute, of which he was the head. In his article, "The Case of the Negro", he discusses the various options to improve the lives of his people, stressing the importance of developing oneself for life-long success.

In his book "Up from Slavery" (1901) and speeches "The Atlanta Compromise", "The Future of the American Negro", and "Industrial Education for the Negro", he stresses the importance of vocational training, defining the term "industrial education" as acquiring the skills to become a valuable member of society, and the ability to apply this knowledge to business.

He believed that the South presented a far better opportunity than the North when it comes to the matter of securing property and employment. As one of the founders of the National Negro Business League (1900), Washington was also a strong proponent of African-American businesses.