"The Life and Times of Booker T. Washington" With His Great Letter & B.F. Riley TLS

A copy of "The Life and Times of Booker T. Washington" with two adhered typed letters signed - one by Washington. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1916. Octavo, 301pp as well as two pages of ads for other publications. With a frontispiece of Washington and three additional portraits throughout. At the back is taped a small booklet entitled "The White Man's Burden" by B. F. Riley. The book is signed "B.F. Riley" on the front free end page. Adhered to the front pastedown is a typed letter signed "B.F. Riley", dated November 28, 1917, and addressed to Charles D. Reid. Also adhered to one of the front endpapers is a typed letter signed "Booker T. Washington", dated October 4, 1915, and addressed to B.F. Riley. The book has light, uneven toning to the internal pages. Sound, slightly cocked binding. Wear and minor soiling to the covers. Sunning to spine. Bumping and rubbing to the corners and spine edges. Book and letters are boldly signed.

Highlights from the letters:

Typed Letter Signed "Booker T. Washington", October 4, 1915: "I have just returned to Tuskegee and find your letter of some days referring to your forthcoming book, The Black Man's Lot and the White Man's Logic. I am glad you are making satisfactory progress in its preparation…I am so tremendously busy, however, at this time getting our school matters under way, and attempting to raise money to carry on the work that I hesitate to ask you to send the manuscript to be read; I fear I could not, on account of the heavy responsibilities I am now carrying, as carefully digest the book to make my opinion in any way worth while…"

Typed Letter Signed "B.F. Riley", November 28, 1917: "I wish it were possible for me to go over with you, the exact situation here in the South. Since 1909, I have been giving myself entirely to the work of ameliorating the condition of the colored people, a task that could not be assumed in the heroic way in which it should be done, by other than a white man of the South. I have been compelled to work so as to pay my way in the prosecution of this work, my only compensation being that I have largely transformed sentiment throughout the South, and have succeeded in having meted out punishment for the mistreatment of defenseless colored people. Not a few times, I have endangered my life in the defense of race…"

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was an author, orator, and advisor who played a dominant role in black politics. He founded the Tuskegee Institute in 1881, which provided African American teachers with both academic and vocational training. Washington gained support for the school from influential philanthropists, including Andrew Carnegie, John Rockefeller, henry Huttleston Rogers, and George Eastman. In 1941, the school established a training program for black aviators, who would become known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

Benjamin Franklin Riley (1845-1925) was a Baptist minister and president of Howard College from 1888-1893. in 1900, he accepted a job at the First Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and it was there that he met Booker T. Washington at a meeting of the Anti-Saloon League. Riley greatly admired Washington and would go on to speak highly on the behalf of the Tuskegee Institute at various functions and give two speeches at the institute upon Washington's invitation. Riley would alter settle in Birmingham, where he lived out the rest of his days writing, preaching, and advocating for civil rights.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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