Born into slavery in 1856, Booker T. Washington became one of the leading African American intellectuals of the 19th Century. At 16, he walked 500 miles to attend the Hampton Normal Agricultural Institute in Virginia, working as a janitor to afford his tuition.
He established the National Negro Business League and the Tuskegee Institute, among other schools and businesses. Washington dedicated himself to promoting education and entrepreneurial opportunities for young African Americans.
