Booker T. Washington was born a slave in 1856,Hales Ford,Virginia. He started to work for his master when he was only five years old. He lived in a small cabin in the plantation. He lived with one brother and one sister, his mother was named Jane and his father was named Washington. 1856 was also the year The Civil War was still going on. Once the war ended,Union Soldiers came to the plantation, and told Bookers family that they were no longer slaves. Bookers family moved to West Virginia, where he, his father and his brother worked at the salt mines. Booker also went to school for African Americans, but he continued to work in the salt mines. When he was old enough to to go to college,he left home and walked 500 miles to get to Hampton Institude in Hampton, Virginia. During his journey, he worked in many odd jobs and tried to get rides whenever he had the chance. He was enrolled at the Institude and he soon graduated. Once he graduated, he took job as teacher in the Institude.

Early Life